Media and creative sectors

The media and creative industries cover a wide range of areas including journalism, publishing, music, film and TV, games, digital media, performing arts and writing careers.

Across these sectors, opportunities can include creative, technical, organisational, digital and public-facing roles. Careers in the creative industries can also take many forms. You might work for a creative business, use creative skills in a non-creative sector, work freelance, or build a portfolio career that combines different projects, roles and income streams. Freelancing and project-based work are especially common in the creative industries, so it is useful to understand these routes as part of your career planning. You can read about freelancing in the creative sectors on our dedicated web page: Freelancing in the Creative Industries

Exploring local networks can be a useful way to find opportunities closer to where you study or live, while building the contacts, experience and confidence that can help you navigate the wider sector.

Working in the North West

Some creative opportunities are concentrated in London, but there are also creative employers, venues, festivals, agencies and production companies across Manchester, Salford and the wider North West. Manchester is a major creative and cultural city, with opportunities spread across different areas of the city and wider region. The Northern Quarter is home to independent creative businesses, music venues, design agencies and digital organisations, while MediaCityUK in Salford is a key hub for broadcasting, production and digital media. The city is also home to major venues and festivals including Manchester International Festival, Factory International, HOME, Co-op Live and the AO Arena alongside a wide range of theatres, music venues and community arts organisations.

Explore Creative Sectors

Use our sector pages to learn more about specific areas including different roles:

If you would like to learn about the heritage, arts and culture sectors please visit our dedicated pages: Heritage, Arts and Culture

Screen, sound and performance

Interested in storytelling, performance, production or behind-the-scenes creative work? Explore careers in TV and film, games, animation and VFX, performing arts, radio and podcasting, and the music industry. These areas can include creative, technical, production, performance, research and organisational roles

Writing, journalism and publishing

Enjoy writing, editing, researching or communicating ideas? Explore journalism, writing careers and publishing. These areas could involve reporting, storytelling, editing, content creation, copywriting, commissioning, publicity, production or working with authors and audiences.

Digital, visual and creative content

Interested in visual communication, digital platforms or creating content for different audiences? Explore digital media, design and photo imaging. These areas can include design, photography, illustration, social media, digital content, branding, marketing and creative technology.

These industries can be exciting and rewarding, but they can also feel difficult to navigate. You might be unsure where to find opportunities, how to build contacts or whether there is a place for someone with your background, identity or circumstances. This page will help you start building contacts, develop experience and understand where to find opportunities and support.

Not sure what roles exist or where your interests could fit? Discover Creative Careers can help you explore different areas of the creative industries. Prospects job profiles explain what specific jobs involve, the skills employers look for and how people usually get in. Creative Lives in Progress shares real stories, interviews and practical advice from people working in creative roles, which can be useful for understanding less obvious routes into the sector.

Finding your place in the sector

It is common to wonder whether you “fit” in creative industries, especially if you do not often see people with similar experiences, background or identity represented. Some students may face additional barriers because of their background, identity, circumstances or access to financial support. You do not have to navigate the creative industries on your own. Support, mentoring, networks and career development opportunities can make a real difference to confidence and progression, particularly if you are entering the sector without existing contacts or feel unsure whether you belong. Look for organisations, mentors, alumni and communities that can help you understand the sector and build your confidence over time.

Finding support and building confidence

Finding a mentor in the area of the creative industries you want to enter can be a helpful way to build confidence, understand possible routes in and get advice from someone with experience. It may feel especially valuable to connect with someone you identify with or who understands some of the barriers you may face. Creative Access runs a mentoring programme for people from communities underrepresented in the creative industries. The Careers Service also runs it's own mentoring programme.

Creative Access also advertises creative industry opportunities, including internships, jobs and positive action schemes (a voluntary initiative used by employers to level the playing field for underrepresented or disadvantaged groups), and offers wider career support for people from underrepresented communities in the creative industries.

If you would like to discuss anything related to finding your place in the sector, you can book a Careers Appointment via CareerConnect and speak to a member of the Careers Service team.

We also offer 60-minute appointments for students who have a disability, are neurodivergent, or have a long-term health condition. These appointments can be used to discuss how disability, health or reasonable adjustments may affect career planning, career choice, work experience or applications.

You do not need a formal diagnosis or support plan to book this type of appointment. You can use the appointment to talk through any concerns affecting you, including before seeking any other support.

Building experience

Relevant experience is important, but it does not always need to come from a formal internship. You can build experience through student media, societies, volunteering, part-time work, events, personal projects, freelancing or creating your own content.

You could:

  • Write, film, design, perform, record or publish your own work.

  • Get involved in student media and societies.

  • Volunteer with festivals, venues, charities or community organisations.

  • Take on a small freelance or project-based brief.

  • Use short courses to develop practical skills
  • Look at job descriptions, person specifications and relevant Prospects job profiles to identify the skills you may need for the role or sector you are interested in.
  • You may also want to build confidence using digital and AI tools, as these are increasingly being used across parts of the creative industries. Focus on tools that are relevant to your area of interest, such as research, organisation, editing, content creation, marketing or administration. The UK Government provide free AI foundations training.

  • Apply for bursaries or funding if cost is a barrier. Busaries can help with things such as travel expenses, accommodation costs, training/development and dependant care costs. Organisations such as ScreenSkills and Creative Access also have bursaries that you may be able to access to help with these costs.

If you are struggling to find advertised roles, freelancing can also be one way to start building your own route in. Visit our Freelancing in the Creative Industries page to learn what freelancing involves, where to find work and what support is available.

It is useful to gain experience, but it is also important to think about whether an opportunity is fair and sustainable for you. Check whether roles are paid, whether expenses are covered, what time commitment is expected and whether you can access bursaries or funding if cost is a barrier. For freelance or project-based work, clarify pay, deadlines and expectations before agreeing to take on the work. Check out our guidance on unpaid experience and your rights.

Check out our sub-sector pages listed above for advice around getting experience specific to your industry.

Building your portfolio

For many creative roles, employers or clients will want to see examples of what you can do. A portfolio could be a website, PDF, showreel, writing samples, design work, audio clips, social media content or a simple online folder.

Your portfolio does not need to be perfect before you start. It can include university work, society projects, volunteering, personal projects, freelance work or creative experiments. The most important thing is that it is easy to access and relevant to the type of work you are aiming for.

Check out these Creative Lives in Progress guides on putting together a PDF portfolio and personal website.

Building contacts

Building professional relationships (otherwise known as networking) is an important part of many creative careers. Opportunities are not always advertised widely, so getting to know people, organisations and networks in the sector can help you understand where to find work, how people got started and where opportunities may be shared.

Networking can feel awkward, but it does not have to mean asking strangers for jobs. It can simply mean learning from people, asking informed questions and staying connected, either in person or online via LinkedIn. Check out our LinkedIn Academy for guidance on how to set up your profile and get started with connecting with people.

Not everyone starts with the same access to professional networks, and this can make creative careers feel harder to break into. Building contacts gradually through alumni, mentoring programmes, events, societies, volunteering and online communities can help you develop your own network over time.

Start with people and organisations you already have some link to:

  • Course mates, academics, alumni and society contacts

  • Guest speakers, event organisers and visiting professionals

  • People credited on creative projects you admire (Look at film/television credits or song credits on platforms such as Spotify)

  • Organisations you have volunteered with or have run events that you’ve attended

  • LinkedIn alumni search for University of Manchester graduates

You do not need to contact everyone at once. A realistic starting point could be attending a couple of sector events each year, connecting with a few alumni, or keeping a simple list of people you have met through projects and events. Check out this guide to networking in the creative industries.

Finding opportunities

Creative jobs are not always advertised through large graduate job boards. Some roles are shared through specialist websites, newsletters, social media, employers’ own websites, industry networks or word of mouth. Check out the sub sector pages to find job boards for the sub sector that you're interested in. Creative Lives in Progress has also compiled a list of creative industry jobs boards.

Further support and resources

  • Creative Lives in Progress Articles, interviews and practical advice on creative careers, portfolios, networking, getting paid and building confidence.
  • Creative Access Opportunities, mentoring and career support, particularly for people from communities underrepresented in the creative industries.
  • ScreenSkills Job profiles, training and career resources for screen industries including film, TV, animation, games and VFX.
  • Prospects job profiles Role descriptions covering responsibilities, skills, entry routes and typical employers.
  • Creative Access Thrive Report Useful for understanding current barriers and trends in the creative industries, including inclusion, networks, financial pressure, freelancing, AI and career progression for underrepresented talent.

Next steps