ABC projects - Built to Last: Creative Careers in a Changing Industry

The creative industries are changing quickly. Routes into work are less predictable, audiences are moving across platforms, and automation and AI are reshaping the skills employers value. Getting into the sector is difficult; building a career that lasts can be harder still.

ABC Projects: Built to Last - Creative Careers in a Changing Industry is a practical, welcoming event designed to help people enter, sustain and develop careers across television, film, marketing, advertising, social content and digital production.

Delivered at ABC Buildings in partnership with SHARPFUTURES, the event brings emerging talent, freelancers, established professionals and hiring managers into the same creative ecosystem. Through behind-the-scenes studio tours, practical workshops, a senior industry panel and informal networking, attendees will explore how transferable skills can open doors across traditional sector boundaries.

Sessions will cover the realities of securing work in 2026: creating CVs and portfolios that cut through; using AI thoughtfully; building a stronger LinkedIn presence; producing quick, high-quality social content with Canva and CapCut; and presenting yourself confidently in interviews and networking situations. Professional LinkedIn headshots will also be available during the day.

The closing panel, The Business Skills Pivot, will bring together business owners and senior producers to discuss how organisations are adapting to digital-first audiences, new commercial models and changing patterns of content consumption. It will examine the production, creative and business skills employers are competing for - and how talent can remain relevant as the industry evolves.

The day concludes with networking drinks, creating space for useful conversations, new connections and potential routes into paid work or experience.

Who should attend?

• People seeking their first opportunity in the creative or digital industries
• Students, recent graduates and early-career creatives
• Freelancers looking to win more work or broaden their offer
• Creative professionals adapting to new platforms, tools or roles
• Hiring managers, producers and employers looking to meet emerging talent
• Anyone interested in behind-the-camera careers, including editing, live production, content creation, marketing and social media

What attendees will gain

• Practical ways to strengthen a CV, portfolio and personal brand
• A clearer understanding of where transferable skills fit across the creative sector
• Hands-on insight into accessible content tools including Canva and CapCut
• Greater confidence in interviews and professional networking
• Current insight from employers and senior industry leaders
• New contacts across Manchester's creative community