Almost two-thirds of UK adults do not believe that a career in the games, film, television, animation and visual effects industry is a 'real job'.
This is according to a recent study commissioned by Escape Studios, an animation, games and visual effects school based in North Greenwich, London.
The survey of 2,008 adults by Censuswide was conducted between August 12 and August 14, 2024.
Adults ranked creative jobs at the bottom of the list of 'real jobs', with law (62%), accountancy (58%) and healthcare (58%) seen as recognized careers.
Nearly two in five adults surveyed said jobs with a “clear progression” or “clear ladder” were what made certain careers stand out as “real jobs.”
Less than half of respondents believed a career in the creative industries was a 'real job', while 31% of parents and carers said they would not recommend their children work in the industry.
The reasons are concerns about lack of job security (32%), trying to succeed without contacts in the industry (25%) and low wages (22%).
The survey also found that almost half of Britons think that creative degrees are “taken less seriously than others”, with 61% of respondents unaware of educational institutions that specialize in training in the creative sector.
“It's very disappointing to see the results of this survey and how poorly the creative industries are rated,” said Escape Studios director Ian Palmer. “We need to do more to raise awareness of training opportunities in these areas and to raise awareness of the careers and value this sector brings to the UK.
He added: “We're about to start a new academic year and it's always a time when we look forward to introducing more students to the exciting worlds of visual effects, animation and games. We hope that by challenging preconceptions and spreading the word that we'll welcome even more of all walks of life.”