Digital technology and creative arts career patterns in the UK creative economy

Comunian, R., Faggian, A. and Jewell, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4413-6618 (2015) Digital technology and creative arts career patterns in the UK creative economy. Journal of Education and Work, 28 (4). pp. 346-368. ISSN 1363-9080 doi: 10.1080/13639080.2014.997683

Abstract/Summary

The creative industries have attracted the attention of academics and policy makers for the complexity surrounding their development, supply-chains and models of production. In particular, many have recognised the difficulty in capturing the role that digital technologies play within the creative industries. Digital technologies are embedded in the production and market structures of the creative industries and are also partially distinct and discernible from it. This paper unfolds the role played by digital technologies focusing on a key aspect of its development: human capital. Using student micro-data collected by the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) in the United Kingdom, we investigate the characteristics and location determinants of digital graduates. The paper deals specifically with understanding whether digital skills in the UK are equally embedded across the creative industries, or are concentrated in other sub-sectors. Furthermore, it explores the role that these graduates play in each sub-sector and their financial rewards. Findings suggest that digital technology graduates tend to concentrate in the software and gaming sub-sector of the creative industries but also are likely to be in embedded creative jobs outside of the creative industries. Although they are more likely to be in full-time employment than part-time or self-employment, they also suffer from a higher level of unemployment.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/39942
Identification Number/DOI	10.1080/13639080.2014.997683
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Arts, Humanities and Social Science > School of Politics, Economics and International Relations > Economics
Uncontrolled Keywords	digital technologies, embedded creative work, creative industries, human capital, creative graduates
Publisher	Routledge
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