Production Futures roadshow will provide opportunities for next generation of talent

University of Gloucestershire will host a Production Futures ON TOUR roadshow providing the next generation of talent with opportunities to meet world-leading experts and develop careers in production across every area of the live event, music, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries.

Following the success of its recent roadshow at the Confetti Institute in Nottingham, which was attended by more than 500 young people, the next Production Futures ON TOUR roadshow will take place at the University’s School of Creative Industries at Park Campus, Cheltenham.

World-leading experts and brand partners will be in attendance, including manufacturers Sennheiser, Avolites, ChamSys, Chauvet Professional, Shure, NEXO, disguise, Brompton Technology, TAIT, Roe Visual, Riedel Communications, and Vectorworks, as well as a number of leading supply and production companies.

The event will include panel discussions, hands-on experiences and talks, and will feature a range of special guests including Alex Penn, Commercial Director 22Live; Gill Tee, Co-Founder Black Deer Festival; Carol Scott, TAITS’s Principal Advocate for Sustainability, Leigh Yeomans, PRG; Sam Nankivel, 2B Heard, and music journalist Jerry Gilbert, alongside a number of other industry-leading experts who will cover an extensive range of topics.

Also available will be the Production Futures ‘Industry Hangout’ providing opportunities for young people to informally discuss specific job and training opportunities with the organisation’s brand partners.

The Production Futures roadshow will take place at the University’s School of Creative Industries on Wednesday, 8 March. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance.

As well as University students, the event is open to local Further Education colleges and other pre-university pupils who wish to explore careers in the rapidly growing production industry, as part of the School’s outreach programme.

Dr Tom Bradshaw, Associate Professor of Employability at the School of Creative Industries, said: “A key focus of our work at University of Gloucestershire is ensuring our students are best placed to take advantage of the latest industry trends and opportunities, so we are really excited to be welcoming Production Futures to the University’s School of Creative Industries.

“The event will build on the School’s already strong links with industry, and it will be a great opportunity for some of the leading brands in production to connect with some of the brightest young creative talent.”

Hannah Eakins, CEO at Production Futures, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing our ON TOUR event to Cheltenham and working with University of Gloucestershire to provide young people in the area with the opportunity to engage directly with key players in the production industries.

“Following the success of our recent event at the Confetti Institute in Nottingham, we’ve added to our list of brand partners, creating even wider scope for participants.

“The importance of a face-to-face platform where the next generation of talent can really get under the skin of what our industry offers can’t be underestimated.

“There is a skills shortage across what is a rapidly growing sector and our brand partners place a high value on being able to tap in to what is a huge pool of talent.”