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About Creative Opportunities

About the creative opportunities platform

About us

“For graduates seeking their first role in the creative industries, University of the Arts London's Creative Opportunities page is the perfect place to help get a foot in the door.” Creative Boom

Creative opportunities is a platform promoting creative industry roles and opportunities for students and alumni from the University of the Arts London (UAL). Careers and Employability run this service. It’s the go-to hub for art, design, communications and performance graduates. We promote jobs, paid internships, volunteering roles, scholarships and competitions. Our mission is to provide genuine career progression through industry experience, internships, mentorship, grants, funding and bursaries for our students and alumni to be able to do something they love and make a living.

We advertise jobs in the UK and internationally, featuring creative roles from companies from both creative and non-creative industries. We promote jobs and internships which pay at least minimum wage. We allow freelance roles to be negotiated between employer to freelancer. Volunteering roles must be from charities or voluntary organisations. These roles are not paid, however may offer expenses and other benefits such as a mentor, references and feedback. We recognise that these opportunities can help you to gain direct valuable industry insight whilst developing your skills and experience to progress your career. Competitions will be relevant and offer worthwhile rewards. We especially welcome creative internships and graduate opportunities.

Our students and graduates bring creativity and innovation to any role, important for keeping businesses relevant and thriving in our changing economy and politics. Advertise your creative vacancies with us for free if you are a direct employer. Further information about our guidelines are below.

Opportunities platform expansion

Background

Since 2009, the creative opportunities jobs board’s primary aim has been to promote UK and international paid jobs and internships in creative and non-creative industries. The website is public and allows UAL students and graduates as well as non-UAL jobseekers to search and apply for roles. The current policy for employers posting a job or an internship is to adhere to the government minimum wage rates, however, we recommend London-based employers to pay the London Living Wage.

Current situation

We understand that the route to employment and a successful career in the creative industries is unlike any other profession. Creative degrees do not always lead to directly correlating graduate roles with clear progression. Neither do they guarantee entry into a particular industry. Routes to employment include a higher proportion of building networks and using contacts, freelancing or starting a company. Challenges to enter the job market have become much tougher since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Since the first lockdown, we have seen a decrease in the number of roles posted on Creative Opportunities. With forecasts and news articles reporting more potential job losses, we can only predict the job market will take a while to recover. From the High Fliers report, The Graduate Market in 2020, 40% of Graduate recruiters featured in the research warned that “in today’s competitive job market, it was either ‘not very likely’ or ‘not at all likely’ that a graduate who’d had no previous work experience at all with any employers would be successful during their selection process and be made a job offer, irrespective of their academic achievements or the university they had attended.” In the meantime, UAL Careers and Employability are striving to adapt so they can support students and graduates to make a living doing what they love. The value of experience in developing a graduate CV and credibility in business environment is often as important as the paid aspect of work.

Vision

With recruitment cycles recovering from the pandemic, now is the time to use our labour market insights to upgrade the jobs board into an opportunities hub. We recognise that students and graduates can gain valuable skills and experience which will help in their career progression from opportunities outside of traditional paid roles. Our objectives in doing so are to provide more opportunities by which University of the Arts London (UAL) students and alumni can develop skills, experience for genuine career progression. In addition to paid jobs and internships, the new-look Creative Opportunities board will promote other opportunities including competitions, scholarships and volunteering opportunities. As before, both UK-based and international opportunities are welcome. These will allow for genuine career progression and open up more options for our students and graduates. Our policy will continue to refuse the promotion of competitions where prizes are solely ‘for exposure’. Policies such as refusing unpaid internships, and paid jobs that do not meet the minimum wage will also continue. We will not advertise unpaid work experience or internships other than where they meet relevant criteria for exemption. Our focus will be on promoting creative opportunities in the creative and non-creative sector leading to graduate level experience. Other criteria such as level of pay, skill development, mentoring and support will be considered. Alongside the Creative Opportunities board we will develop resources to help students and graduates to analyse and think critically about an opportunity and if it’s right for them. The advertising on the board will be clear so students can make informed decisions, fitting with their schedules, skills and experience they would like to gain and salary requirements.

Why UAL?

For the second year running, UAL is the global leader of undergraduate creative education, according to the QS University World Rankings by Subject 2020. UAL ranked 2nd for Art and Design, next to the Royal College of Art, dedicated to postgraduate Art and Design studies. Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) 2019 figures revealed UAL graduate entrepreneurs are leading a start-up and social enterprise boom which saw more than £822 million generated for the UK economy in 2018. A recent study by Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance showed a higher percentage of UAL's graduates go on to become business leaders than from any other UK university. Involving over 9.5 million former students, it revealed that 19.85% of UAL graduates went onto lead businesses and almost one in ten (9.21%) used their degrees to form their own start-ups.

Contact us

Further policy details are given below. For further clarification, do feel free to contact us at: jobsonline@arts.ac.uk

Opportunities - The definitions and conditions of the opportunity types we promote

Opportunities policy

We will only promote opportunities that align with UAL values and are of an appropriate nature for our students and/or graduates. For further guidelines, please refer to our terms and conditions. We will not promote opportunities, distribute posters or other promotional material to directly to university lecturers, faculties or departments. Please contact the relevant college, the Student Union or our social media channel. We will not normally accept opportunities from organisations without a valid company website, full postal address or phone number or whose sole email address is with a webmail account provider. It is the jobseeker’s responsibility to research each opportunity and communicate with employer if unsure of applying. Please note International students on a student Tier 4 visa or other student visa holders will have different conditions to those in the glossary and policy below. It is up to the employer to ensure working conditions meet requirements as set out by the Home Office, Office for Students and UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI), and is the student’s responsibility to understand their working rights in the UK.

Glossary

Term Definition 
Internship Paid role with learning and development intention with a finite duration between one week to a year
Freelance job Role whereby freelancer, a self-employed person, offers services to complete tasks for a negotiated fee. Freelancers usually charge hourly or daily rates for their work and work is usually short-term or project based.​
Job Paid position of regular employment whereby workers are under a contract of employment. Workers will have mutual obligations to perform work (at set times and specific tasks) and the organisation to provide it. The worker should be remunerated and generally should receive at least the national minimum wage, subject to some exceptions. this type of work at a charity or voluntary organisation would still be considered a job.

Full time – 35 hours a week or more, part-time – below 35 hours a week, temporary – role duration lasts less than a year.​

Volunteering Unpaid opportunity to provide service for a charity or third sector (voluntary or public sector) organisation with no contractual obligation. There is no contract of employment (written, oral or implied) to perform work and no obligation to undertake specific instruction. Volunteers are not a substitute for an employee and must not be doing unpaid work by receiving payment in kind, with the exception of being reimbursed for reasonable travel and subsistence expenses.
Competition An event or contest where participants take part to show their skills in a particular area for a reward.
Extracurricular No credit or requirement towards curriculum​
Curricular Work related experience embedded in curriculum​

Jobs policy

Jobs including graduate programs, international and freelance roles

As a paid position of regular continuous employment, all jobs posted must meet government minimum wage rates. We recommend London-based employers to pay the London Living Wage. For countries outside the UK, we require organisations to pay the equivalent of the national minimum wage rates. If zzthere is no minimum wage legislation, the organisations should offer pay equivalent to the national average for that role level within that industry. Third party employers such as recruitment agencies can post jobs subject to a fee. We will not advertise jobs from private individuals with the role located in a private household or working with children. Any roles working with children must be submitted by an agency or company and require a DBS background check. Submitted roles must have a clear job description of main tasks and duties with a line manager. Jobs we would promote on Creative Opportunities:

  • Creative role or a role which is directly relevant to a course at UAL
  • Roles which offer relevant experience towards a career with team and / or cross working opportunities for networking.
  • Students and graduates who work on and create intellectual property will be able to either receive a fee that reflects the value of the work / product / service as part of a work for hire contract or have a license to retain full creative control and allow scope for further use of the work / product / service elsewhere.
  • Training provided by experienced staff or supported by mentor.
  • Role has opportunity for growth or gives relevant experience towards a career e.g., by training or taking on projects with more responsibility

We regard roles with a duration of 35 hours a week or more as full time, part-time as less than 35 hours a week, and temporary as a role duration of less than a year. ​We approve roles in line with the Equality Act 2010 and any role contrary to that must feature an exemption statement.

Minimum requirement and aspirational level expectations for an extracurricular job

Requirement Minimum Aspirational
Financial payment for labour (minimum wage or above) confirmed by employer​
Role has main duties or job description with tasks
Role gives some relevant experience towards a career
Role has a line manager​
Students and graduates who create intellectual property as part of a work-for hire contract will be able to either receive a fee that reflects the value of the work / product / service.
Creative role in creative industry, directly relevant to course at UAL
Stated​ pay is London Living Wage or above
Role is supported with mentor or experienced staff to provide training
Role has opportunity for growth or gives relevant experience towards a career e.g. by training or taking on projects with more responsibility​
Role involves team / cross working with opportunities for networking
Role has main duties which plays to the graduate’s skills, knowledge, interests and passion ​
Students and graduates who create intellectual property will be able to either receive a fee that reflects the value of the work or have a license to retain full creative control and allow scope for further use of the work / product / service elsewhere.

Graduate programs

Within the job category, we will promote graduate fast track programs which enable our graduates to learn and develop skills.

International roles

UAL has a large international student body. We welcome international roles which meet minimum wage requirements in their respective countries for our students and graduates to apply for. We will not advertise roles where the candidate must pay a cost to apply or are required to invest in the role.

Freelance roles

Freelance roles can be submitted as a job vacancy. The difference between freelance roles and a job is the negotiation aspect between employer and freelancer. We regard freelance roles as projects where, rates of pay, work time and contract duration are discussed before starting the project. They are not internships, or flexi-hour temporary jobs. Freelancer rates are usually higher than the equivalent salary for a job because self-employed freelancers use this to pay for benefits employers will typically give salaried staff. A few examples include software licensing fees, equipment, sick days, National Insurance and taxes. A guide on paying freelancers in the UK can be found at the Freelance Fees Guide. Rates will vary according to the experience level of the creative. An estimate would be an hourly rate of £15 for a student, £20 for a graduate, and varied rates for middleweight to those who are substantially experienced. Most freelancers can adapt to budgets and length of projects and will enter a contract once negotiations have been settled. Creative opportunities has the right to refuse an employer’s future role submissions where complaints of non-payment have been received. The nature of these complaints or concerns will remain confidential to the University. Creative opportunities is a platform to promote opportunities to students and graduates as an intermediary. We recommend contacting ACAS for disputes between employers and employees or alternatively, the Citizens Advice Bureau, CAB.

Minimum requirement and aspirational level expectations for an extracurricular freelance job

Requirement Minimum Aspirational
Financial payment for labour (minimum wage or above) confirmed by employer​
Role has main duties - job description with tasks ​
Role gives some relevant experience towards a career
Role has a line manager​
Students and graduates who create intellectual property as part of a work-for hire contract will be able to either receive a fee that reflects the value of the work / product / service.
Creative role in creative industry, directly relevant to course at UAL
Stated​ pay is London Living Wage or above
Role is supported with mentor or experienced staff to provide training
Role has opportunity for growth and gives relevant experience towards a career e.g. by training or taking on projects with more responsibility​
Role involves team / cross working with opportunities for networking
Role has main duties which plays to the graduate’s skills, knowledge, interests and passion ​
Students and graduates who create intellectual property will be able to either receive a fee that reflects the value of the work or have a license to retain full creative control and allow scope for further use of the work / product / service elsewhere.

Internship policy

Internships

Internships are paid entry-level roles lasting from a week to a year, where support or mentoring is provided. Different to a job or freelancer role, internships have a learning and development intention. All internships must meet government minimum wage rates. We do not promote unpaid internships. Internship roles require a named supervisor to show that the intern has a mentor and learning support. We will not advertise internships where the candidate must pay a cost to apply or are required to financially invest in the role.

Minimum requirement and aspirational level expectations for an extracurricular internship

Requirement Minimum Aspirational
Financial payment for labour (minimum wage or above) confirmed by employer​
Role has main duties - job description with tasks ​
Role gives some relevant experience towards a career
Role has a line manager​
Students and graduates who create intellectual property as part of a work-for hire contract will be able to either receive a fee that reflects the value of the work / product / service.
Role is supported by supervisor or mentor​
Role lasts between a week to a year​
Creative role in creative industry, directly relevant to course at UAL
Stated​ pay is London Living Wage or above
Role is supported with mentor or experienced staff to provide training
Role has opportunity for growth or gives relevant experience towards a career e.g. by training or taking on projects with more responsibility​
Role involves team / cross working with opportunities for networking
Role has main duties which plays to the graduate’s skills, knowledge, interests and passion ​
Students and graduates who create intellectual property will be able to either receive a fee that reflects the value of the work or have a license to retain full creative control and allow scope for further use of the work / product / service elsewhere.

Competition policy

Competitions

Creative opportunities promotes competitions which are creative, or creative industry related and relevant to UAL courses​. These competitions will provide genuine career progression, including financial rewards as funding towards practice or business development and feedback from industry peers. Other competition rewards we accept are genuine opportunities such as scholarships, mentorship, bursaries, grants, or paid internships to gain or develop skills towards a creative career. Competitions allow students and graduates to explore their potential by showcasing their skills, regardless of being a winner or runner-up. Competitions that can benefit our students and graduates are based on real life problem solving, which calls for innovation and creativity in finding solutions. Entrepreneurial competitions can be a great way to test the viability of ideas and receive evaluation from industry professionals and peers. Participation in competitions can allow for networking with employers or industry peers. Even if an entrant does not win, there may be chances to gain evaluation and the opportunity to show the experience gained and areas for future growth and development, such as showcasing a project on one’s Linked In profile.

Competition policy – opportunities we’d love to promote:

  • Competitions offering financial rewards for prizes such as funding towards practice or business development.
  • Competitions providing genuine career progression.
  • Competitions offering funding for an entrepreneurial venture with mentorship and evaluation from industry peers and professionals.
  • Competitions which allow the participant to undertake an internship with regular support from an industry professional.
  • Competitions which offer IP rights for any created artwork or design.
  • Competition with genuine rewards we accept are genuine opportunities such as scholarships, mentorship, bursaries, grants, or paid internships to gain or develop skills towards a creative career.
  • Competitions allow students and graduates to explore their potential by showcasing their skills, regardless of being a winner or runner-up.
  • Competitions that are based on real life problem solving, requiring innovation and creativity in finding solutions.
  • Competitions that allow for networking and feedback with employers or industry peers for winners, runners-up, and participants to gain evaluation.

Competition policy – reasons we’d reject an opportunity:

  • Competitions with disproportionate benefits to the student. These include unpaid opportunities for students to build a portfolio, provide free content for an organisation, transfer of IP rights and ownership over submission entries, or gain exposure solely.
  • Competitions requiring an entry fee
  • Competitions that offer equity in a business, in-kind payments, commission only or not-guaranteed future financial reward.
  • Competitions asking entrants to create content (i.e. logos, posters, flyers and websites) that would be more suited as a freelance role.

If the participant does not have to create anything new to enter, i.e. a piece of artwork, or design, but can submit pre-existing work, creative opportunities reserves the right to use our discretion on promoting the competition.

Minimum requirement and aspirational level expectations for a competition​

Competition requirement Minimum Aspirational
Competition is creative, or creative industry related or relevant to UAL courses​
Rewards include financial funding towards one's practice or business, genuine opportunities such as scholarships or paid internship at an established company to gain or develop skills towards a creative career.
Opportunity for all participants to showcase their skills. ​
Competition based on real life problem solving, allowing industry experience and for participant to exercise innovation and creativity in finding solutions. ​
Competition provider to offer written references, or project which can be showcased on one’s LI profile.​
Entrepreneurial competitions provide evaluation from professionals and peers regarding viability of one’s ideas.​
Participation allows for networking with top employers or successful peers in one’s interests.
Even if one does not win, there may be chances to gain evaluation and feedback from experienced staff and build contacts.
Any IP created is owned by participant to license out for use.​
Exposure for participation e.g., runners up

Volunteering policy

Volunteering

We promote volunteering roles which focus on creative roles and sectors leading to graduate level experience, allowing for genuine career progression. We recognise that these opportunities can allow students and graduates to gain direct valuable industry insight whilst developing skills and experience to progress in a career.  We will not advertise roles that we suspect may be exploitative, unpaid work. These roles must come from UK-based charities registered with the UK Charity Commission, or not-for-profit organisations, associated fundraising bodies, a statutory body or voluntary organisations from the third sector. Voluntary organisations should have a written health and safety policy; a statement on equal opportunities statement or policy and a Public Liability insurance.

Volunteering policy – volunteering roles we’d love to promote:

  • Relevance - our platform’s audience are creative students and alumni. We will promote volunteering creative roles from both creative and non-creative industries. These are relevant to our course list and what our students graduate in.
  • Organisation and opportunities in line with UAL’s values.
  • Duration – we recommend roles to be offered for an initial short-term duration with volunteers able to choose the hours they are available. For example, an organisation can offer a variety of times, which the volunteer can choose from. Should the volunteer wish to continue beyond this time, this can be negotiated after the two-week period. We recommend referring to NCVO guidelines on this. If an organisation has a structured volunteer programme of learning, with experience benefits and clear outcomes, beyond our initial 2-week recommendation we will review the programme and approve at our discretion.
  • Organised structure of learning – roles with clear benefits of putting training into action which allows for further knowledge and education relating the role, career and the wider industry.
  • Clear agreement – specified role description with mutually agreed expectations on the organisation's professional standards, commitment to, and expectations from its volunteers. This includes the amount of time the activity is expected to take and that the volunteer agrees to contribute, and what the organisation will provide to avoid the creation of mutual obligations. The opportunity description should not inadvertently place the volunteer under any employer contract or create obligation to work.
  • Employer support – organisations that provide an induction or training period if necessary. We expect necessary insurance and health and safety practice in place with an equal opportunities policy.
  • Level of expenses – We expect lunch, travel or any other out of pocket expenses to be covered by the organisation.
  • Skill development – regular input from an experienced member of staff or named line manager.
  • Mentoring - roles with clear processes within the organisation that support mentoring for volunteers.
  • Concerns – we look for a separately outlined peer support structure, in addition to line management with a clearly communicated process for raising issues and support needs which are important for safe, productive volunteering management. Where possible, the volunteer can be assigned a contact person should they have any issues or concerns whilst working at the organisation.
  • Networking – volunteers can communicate with peers and build industry contacts during their experience.
  • Feedback – volunteers should receive written references, formal appraisals or credit to be used in application of a job.

Minimum requirement and aspirational level expectations for a volunteering role

Volunteering opportunity requirement​  Minimum Aspirational
Must be either a creative organisation or a creative role, or relevant to UAL course
Opportunity length advertised for an initial 2-week duration, further time to be agreed between organization and volunteer, depending on skill level necessary for a project
Features some industry insight, skill development, or learning
The volunteering opportunity is project-based rather than an ongoing role, with a closed period for its duration
Features some structure of learning​
Features occasional input from a more experienced member of staff
Allows for networking with peers, industry contacts or opportunities in the community
Features feedback such as written references to be used in application of a job or evaluation from an industry professional
Expenses (travel/lunch) paid​ during volunteering experience
Features high experience contribution towards genuine career progression resulting in more career options for volunteer​
Gives direct valuable industry insight whilst developing skills and experience to progress in their creative career​
Allows for further knowledge and education relating the role, career and the wider industry​
Volunteering duration offered with an organised structure of learning and clear benefits of putting training into action
Regular mentoring from a more experienced member of staff
Offers networking opportunities to make industry contacts with high-level creatives

Minimum requirement and aspirational level expectations for the volunteering organisation

Volunteering organization requirement Minimum Aspirational
Creative charity, third sector organization promoting creative roles
Does not inadvertently place the volunteer under any employer contract or create obligation to work​
Named contact for volunteer who will support them in the role
Diversity and inclusivity policy​
Public Liability insurance
Full induction and any training necessary for the volunteer role provided​
Organisation communicates professional standards, commitment to its volunteers and expectations
Volunteers treated in line with equal opportunities policy
Health and safety practice to meet standards
Feedback given to the volunteer​
Risk assessment to meet standards
Written references given to the volunteer​ for job application
Organization size – smaller preferred, 10 employees or below​
Opportunity for flexible working hours
Provides regular support to the volunteer in their role
Separate peer support structure where volunteer is assigned a contact person for issues or concerns during the opportunity.

Scholarships

A scholarship is financial aid put towards an opportunity to learn or gain valuable experience. We welcome and promote scholarship opportunities which allow underrepresented students to apply for roles.

Legal considerations

Intellectual Property

An understanding of intellectual property and ownership is essential for any creative graduate. Find out more here.

Use of website

By using the website, users adhere to the terms and conditions (employer and jobseeker terms and conditions) agreed upon when creating a profile.  The University reserves the right at its absolute discretion to refuse any request for registration, or to cancel any registration, for any reason whatsoever, including where it has received negative feedback about an employer.

Complaints

Creative Opportunities is a platform to promote opportunities to students and graduates as an intermediary.  The University carries out basic checks on employers applying for registration to determine whether they meet the minimum requirements set out above for each type of opportunity, but otherwise does not vet employers or job opportunities posted on the jobs board, and has no control over and is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any job posting or description of an opportunity posted on the jobs board. Jobseekers should research each opportunity and communicate with the employer if unsure.

The University is not responsible for any issues that might arise between employers and employees recruited through the jobs board.  Any complaints or concerns should be raised in accordance with the employer’s standard policies.  We recommend contacting ACAS for disputes between employers and employers, or alternatively, the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).  The University is not able to investigate complaints from either employers or jobseekers.

Appendix

Scholarship example

Think Pacific Virtual Internship Scholarships

Fully funded places for a remote four to 12-week internship in partnership with the Fijian Ministry to foster global understanding, contribute to international development and increase relationships between the Fiji Islands and global university students.

Graduate program example

Estée Lauder Companies

The Presidential Associate Program is an 18-month rotational program specially designed for undergraduates. This program integrates customized professional rotations, continuous leadership development, coaching, mentoring, and hands-on practical experience. It offers three rotations allowing associates to gain company and business insights. Each rotation explores new areas of the company to learn to apply knowledge to strategic business projects.

Competition examples

The Mayor’s Entrepreneur Competition

Students pitch an innovative concept before a panel of judges. They can attend two pre-application workshops where students can learn how to develop their ideas, find inspiration and meet like-minded students from universities across London to form a team. Four winners will receive £20k in funding and mentorship, with finalists given feedback on ideas from both workshops and judges.

Hispano Suiza Car Design Contest

Students attending international design schools submit design proposals reflecting the history of the brand, but adapted to current or future times. The prize-winner receives a four-month internship grant in the Hispano Suiza Design and Style Department in Barcelona.

YAZOO Artist Collaboration

Students and recent graduates to upload 5 original art pieces, submit a synopsis, sketch and mood board as designs for YAZOO cans and merchandising material. Ten finalists to receive 2 cases of YAZOO drink, 2nd and 3rd place winners receive £1,000 each. The final winner artwork to receive an additional £4,000.