BBC and BCU announce landmark centre for creative skills at the Tea Factory
The BBC and Birmingham City University (BCU) have announced a 10-year collaboration to establish a centre for creative skills at the Tea Factory in Digbeth, the BBC’s new West Midlands headquarters. The partnership will equip the next generation of media professionals with practical skills and industry experience through a portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate courses across media, journalism, content creation, production and broadcast technology.
Bringing together the BBC’s industry leadership and BCU’s academic expertise, the partnership will strengthen Birmingham’s position as one of the UK’s fastest-growing creative hubs. Subject to final planning approval, BCU will lease space within the Tea Factory and create state-of-the-art training facilities built to BBC specifications. These will include sector-leading hi-tech studios, workshops, teaching rooms and breakout areas.
Students will benefit from learning environments designed around current industry standards and practices, while the BBC will gain access to specialist training, studio and technical facilities to support workforce development and skills training.
Designed to help bridge the gap between education and employment, the partnership will demonstrate the impact that can be achieved when industry and higher education work together to prepare students for successful careers in the creative sector.
The BBC’s move to the Tea Factory in Digbeth and Birmingham City University’s significant investment not only cements Birmingham’s position as a major force in the creative sector, it helps more people from across the West Midlands build successful careers while supporting the continued growth of our regional economy. It is exactly the kind of collaboration that can turn investment into lasting opportunity for people across the region.
– Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands
To enhance employability and provide students with direct access to industry expertise, the BBC will contribute to workshops, shadowing opportunities, masterclasses and live industry briefs, as well as lectures. These experiences will give BCU students genuine insight into current industry practice and help them graduate workplace-ready.
The project supports the BBC’s Across the UK strategy, which aims to stimulate creative growth beyond London, develop local talent pipelines and strengthen creative economies across the UK. It also directly advances BCU’s Strategy for 2030 and Beyond, which commits the University to developing talent for tomorrow, powering regional prosperity and acting as an exemplar anchor institution and creative partner of choice for industry.
At the BBC, we want the future of the creative industries to be shaped by talent from every part of the UK. This landmark partnership reflects our continued commitment to the West Midlands and will help ensure the next generation of creative professionals has the skills, experience and opportunities needed to thrive.
– Simone Marquis, BBC Chief Talent and Inclusion Officer
Last year, the BBC signed a second Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Create Central, setting out plans for a significant expansion of production investment in the region. The agreement seeks to further strengthen the West Midlands as a centre of excellence for production, support employment opportunities, attract inward investment and grow the region’s creative economy.
Subject to future funding and Charter arrangements, the West Midlands will remain a priority region for the BBC throughout the next Charter period.
This collaboration brings our ambition to develop the talent of tomorrow and drive prosperity across our city and region to life. It reflects our passion for the creative industries and our pride in Birmingham and the West Midlands. For our students, it opens the door to opportunities that can shape their careers and help build the future of the sector.
– Professor David Mba, Vice-Chancellor, Birmingham City University