YouTube commits £3m to expand creator training across the UK

YouTube is investing £3 million ($4 million) over the next three years to expand training and skills programmes for creators and creative professionals across the UK.

The commitment includes £2 million for an expanded partnership with the National Film and Television School (NFTS), as the lines between traditional screen production and creator-led entertainment continue to blur.

At the centre of the partnership is a tenfold increase in capacity for the YouTube-backed NFTS Creator Incubator, which will also expand into more locations across the UK.

The funding will support people at different stages of their careers, from those trying to enter the creative industries to established professionals looking to develop digital-first skills.

It builds on existing work between YouTube and the NFTS, including Create x Connect, a fully funded programme launched with the BBC earlier this year to help British talent adapt to a digital-first media environment.

“The UK’s creative strength isn't confined to a single location – it thrives in every nation and region across the country,” YouTube UK managing director Alison Lomax said at the Edinburgh TV Festival.

Lomax said the investment would widen access to digital skills and industry networks, with the programmes targeting 80% of participants from outside London.

NFTS director Jon Wardle said the convergence of film, television, games and creator-led entertainment was creating new opportunities, but required training to evolve alongside it.

“As film, television and games increasingly converge with creator-led entertainment, this shift is opening up exciting new opportunities, but there is also a clear need for skills and training to evolve at the same pace,” he said.

The investment comes as traditional media and the creator economy become increasingly intertwined in the UK. Last week, the NFTS announced a separate partnership with Sidemen Entertainment to train the next generation of unscripted producers.

It also follows a wider shift in how established broadcasters are approaching YouTube. Earlier this year, the BBC confirmed it was exploring programmes to launch on the platform first, as younger audiences increasingly consume video outside traditional television.