In this blog we explore links between Arts Award and the development of employability skills among young people. Whilst these skills can be linked to all levels of Arts Award, here we look in particular at Silver and Gold awards. Advisers can use this information to confidently promote progression onto these levels among the young people they are working with, both in and out of formal education.
What does employability mean?
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) describes employability in terms of ‘the skills almost everyone needs to do almost any job’. However, as well as being about skills, employability is also about capabilities: aptitude, attitude and behaviour. Employability is not the same as subject knowledge, qualifications or specialist experience. So, this is a good opportunity to think about the added personal attributes that young people gain when they take part in Arts Award – as well as the arts skills and knowledge that they are learning.
Why is employability important?
In statistics published April 2026, the unemployment rate for people in the UK aged 16 to 24 was 15.8%, up from 14.6% from the year before. Youth unemployment remains a public concern. Changes in the UK labour market have impacted negatively on many young people’s job prospects. The rise of the service sector means that employers are placing a stronger emphasis on employability and essential skills. Building these skills in young people is moving up the political agenda, with politicians backing calls for schools and youth programmes to instil these important traits in young people. The Institute of Directors (IoD) emphasises that ‘essential’ soft skills—such as problem-solving, communication, and teamwork—are crucial for career success, with 92% of professionals valuing them above technical abilities.
When applying for education, employment and training places, most young people are required to give evidence of their employability skills on application forms and then demonstrate their skills at assessment events and interviews. Advisers can support young people to identify and understand the employability skills they are gaining through their Arts Award journey, and how they can describe these when applying for the position they want.
Silver and Gold Arts Award – developing employability skills
Silver and Gold Arts Award are structured to encourage young people to explore careers and pathways in the arts, and to develop project leadership skills. Our mapping tool presents a wide range of employability skills and personal attributes as highlighted by employers and researchers, and demonstrates how they can be gained throughout these awards. It is designed for advisers to:
In addition to the examples given in the mapping tool, as part of an employability focused Silver or Gold project you might consider supporting participants to create their own job description for their role in the leadership project. You could extend this activity by interviewing them for their positions. This will encourage them to develop their interview skills, adopt a positive attitude and begin to feel confident about self-promotion. You could make a point of holding a CV update session after completing these awards to ensure that young people remember and value the skills they have gained.
Volunteering and work experience
Younger people are naturally less likely to have as much real-life work experience to talk about when competing for employment and training. By taking part in Silver and Gold Arts Award they have the opportunity to research and seek out valuable work placements that will boost their range of experience. By working alongside experienced arts practitioners and taking part in other development opportunities, such as workshops and volunteering, participants show they have a positive attitude, good time keeping and organisational skills, and that they are reliable, honest and willing to learn. Real life work experience in the creative industries raises young people’s awareness of arts pathways as career options, helps them to understand what professional creative people actually do, and how income is generated in the sector.
As young people progress through the Arts Award levels and gain a wider understanding of how each is designed, they become ideal Arts Award assistants. If your centre delivers Arts Award at a range of levels, this is a good opportunity for you to involve older young people in the delivery of activities to younger participants. An example might be a Silver participant running a series of workshops as part of their Unit 2 leadership project aimed at those taking part in Discover, Explore or Bronze Part A.
Young people looking for a wider range of opportunities to develop their leadership skills and knowledge of the arts sector might find the following ideas useful:
You may also find it helpful to read this blog which explores how apprenticeships can connect with Arts Award.