- Pinewood Studios, Europe’s leading studio complex and home to James Bond and the Carry On films, is supporting the Government’s Youth Guarantee.
- Industry leaders including Netflix, Disney and Vue International met Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden at Pinewood Studios to discuss how they can support more young people into creative roles.
- More than 4,500 young people attended Pinewood Group’s “Futures Festival” event – Britain’s biggest TV and film careers event.
Young people are set to benefit from TV and film industry support for the Government’s Youth Guarantee.
Today, Pat McFadden co-chaired a roundtable with Pinewood Studios at the largest free film and TV careers event in the UK, attended by industry leaders including Disney, Vue International and Amazon MGM Studios.
Pinewood’s annual Futures Festival showcased the range of careers available in film and television to young people, and employers and industry professionals spoke to attendees about the routes available into the sector.
The Work and Pensions Secretary heard how industry leaders are already increasing opportunities in the sector for young people and called on the industry to back the Government’s Youth Guarantee, which provides a guaranteed job, work experience or training to all 18-to-21-year olds.
Production spending in the UK is booming having reached £5.6 billion in 2024, a 31 percent increase on the previous year, highlighting emerging work and training opportunities for young people. However, there remains a skills gap in the sector. By supporting young people into work, the sector will help close that gap and ensure the UK maintains its position as a world leading hub for film and television production.
Pinewood Group, incorporating Pinewood and Shepperton Studios in the UK, has been pioneering youth training through its ‘Behind the Screen’ programme. Delivered in collaboration with Jobcentre Plus, the scheme supports people currently out of work by offering paid six‑month placements that provide hands-on experience and a first step into the film and TV industry. As the latest Youth Guarantee Supporter, Pinewood’s helping to realise the Government’s pledge to ensure all young people have the opportunity to earn or learn.
Another supporter of the Youth Guarantee is All Spring Media, who provide skills bootcamps and training programmes to ensure young creatives have the experience and confidence they need to pursue their chosen career.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:
With almost a million young people not in education, employment or training, we need to create pathways of opportunity and help them build careers.
Today’s festival has shown what’s possible when government and industry work together.
Apprenticeships benefit everyone – young people gain skills and experience, while employers gain fresh talent and new perspectives. The Behind the Screen programme is a great example of this in action, helping young people break into an industry that can otherwise feel out of reach.
I’m delighted that Pinewood is backing our Youth Guarantee. I’m calling on other employers across the creative industries to follow their lead and open their doors to the next generation of talent.
The Work and Pensions Secretary met with trainees from the ‘Behind the Screen’ programme to hear about the training they are receiving to start their creative career.
Andrew Smith, Corporate Affairs Director of Pinewood Group said:
Pinewood Group is committed to opening doors and creating accessible pathways into the industry. Our well-established ‘Behind the Screen’ programme offers paid, hands‑on placements for those out of work, while our annual Pinewood Futures Festival continues to inspire and engage the next generation of industry talent.
Sara Whybrew, Director of Skills and Workforce Development, British Film Institute, said:
For the next generation to thrive, we must level the playing field across the UK especially for those who may lack the support needed to access work on their doorstep. Our UK-wide skills programmes for young people – from sector specific careers advice in schools, our UK-wide Film Academy programme, through to paid work placements on studio productions and onto a range of career progression pathways – are designed to address inequalities and prioritise opening up opportunities to those currently underrepresented in the screen sector’s workforce. We look forward to working with DWP and our industry colleagues to enable the screen sector to play a role in supporting the ambitions of the Youth Guarantee.
Mia, trainee from the ‘Behind the Screen’ programme:
Pinewoods Behind the Screen Programme was a fantastic opportunity to become part of a supportive community and expand my network within film. The programme opened doors and formed a great stepping stone into my current role at Imaginarium Studios.
Pinewood Studios join other high-profile Youth Guarantee partners including the Premier League, EFL in the Community, Royal Shakespeare Company and Channel 4.
This is the latest step in the Government’s work to boost opportunity to support young people into employment or training. An £820 million investment in the Youth Guarantee to support almost one million young people will create 350,000 new training and workplaces, 55,000 guaranteed jobs for the long-term unemployed, over 360 youth hubs across Great Britain. We have also launched a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn which will investigate the barriers preventing young people from accessing work.
This builds on the work of DCMS’ creative careers campaign, which aims to improve access to young people from underrepresented communities outside London in these high growth sectors. The Government is also seeking to grow the sectors through our Creative Industries Sector Plan, which is providing £380 million of targeted investment to ensure they can continue to grow.
Additional information
About Futures Festival
The Pinewood Futures Festival is the largest free careers event for the Film and TV industry, attracting over 4,500 attendees from schools, colleges, and universities across the UK. The event is about engaging and inspiring young people, particularly those from areas of high deprivation, ensuring that every aspiring filmmaker—regardless of background—has the opportunity to attend. The event this year is taking place across 5 stages with inspiring sessions in the John Barry Theatre, featuring leading voices from across the industry.
Today’s Futures Festival event was attended by:
- Pinewood Group
- Netflix
- British Film Institute
- Marvel Studios
- Disney
- Neal Street Productions
- Apple TV+
- Buckinghamshire College Group
- Amazon MGM Studios
- National Film and Television School
- Screen Bucks
- Working Title Films
- Industrial Light and Magic
- Sony
- Screen Skills
- Clear Angle Studios LTD
- Imaginarium Studios
- Driving Services UK
- Actors Studio
- British Final Commission
- Bectu
- Branding Focus
- Cineco
- BSR
- British Film Designers Guild
- Searchlight
- Vue International
- Sky
About Pinewood Group
Pinewood Group is the leading provider of studio and related services to the global film and television industry. Enabling storytellers to bring their creations to life for the big and small screen for 90 years. Founded in 1936 and headquartered in the United Kingdom, Pinewood Group comprises UK based Pinewood and Shepperton Studios and Pinewood Toronto Studios. Many treasured productions have been shot on our stages including 174 Oscar winners and 236 BAFTA winners. Recent releases include; The Fantastic Four: First Steps, The Roses, Frankenstein, Bridgerton Season 4, Jay Kelly and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy pinewoodgroup.com
Supportive quotes:
Jenny Craig, Principal and CEO, Buckinghamshire College Group, said:
Buckinghamshire College Group fully supports the Youth Guarantee and its mission to ensure that every young person can access high‑quality training, work experience, and pathways into skilled employment. Our college works hand‑in‑hand with employers across the film and TV industries—as well as other priority sectors—to co-design and co-deliver provision that directly reflects industry need.
This close collaboration ensures that our students, whether they are young people, apprentices, or adults upskilling and reskilling, leave us with the skills, behaviours, and real‑world experience to thrive in the workplace. The Youth Guarantee strengthens this work by expanding opportunities for funded training and employer‑led experiences, helping us collectively build the workforce of the future.
Martina Porter, Managing Director, Spring Media, said:
All Spring Media is delighted to support the Youth Guarantee. For 15 years we have been supporting a more inclusive workforce for film and television, and the Youth Guarantee is a huge step forward in raising the aspirations of our talented young people, making a career in this industry a reality.
Jon Wardle, Director, National Film and Television School, said:
At the National Film and Television School, we see every day the extraordinary talent and ambition of young people when they are given the right support. The Youth Guarantee is a powerful commitment to helping more young people from all backgrounds access high-quality training, real industry experience and clear pathways into creative careers.
By working together across education, industry and government, we can open doors, build confidence and help change lives through opportunity.
Noel Tovey, Managing Director, Sky Studios Elstree said:
Our industry is full of opportunity, and today’s discussion highlighted how the Youth Guarantee can open more doors to young people. Through the immersive learning experience we create at Sky Up Academy Studios, we see the difference that early exposure and hands‑on training can make. By working together across the sector, we can open up clearer pathways into film and TV and support the next generation to build meaningful, long‑term careers.
Laura Mansfield ScreenSkills CEO said:
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden’s visit to the Future Festival at Pinewood Studios highlights our shared commitment to building a skilled, inclusive, and globally competitive workforce for the UK’s screen industry now and in the future. Breaking down barriers to entry and progression is vital, so we’re fully supportive of government’s Youth Guarantee.
ScreenSkills supports this ambition including through the Discover Creative Careers as well as First Break and Dream Big! programmes providing young people from all backgrounds — particularly those furthest from the labour market — with clear, supported routes into training and skills development for careers in the screen industry.
