First meeting of the National Training Advisory Council for Film and Television

CHRC was pleased and proud to convene the first meeting of the National Training Advisory Council (NTAC) for Film and Television on January 18, 2008. This gathering of industry professionals dedicated to training was a follow up to the recommendation in Fast Forward: to create a national advisory council of and for the film and television industry to oversee, update, and adapt the national training strategy.

The NTAC will oversee the implementation of the recommendations of Fast Forward by setting priorities and prompting partnerships. Actual implementation of the recommendations will happen in smaller NTAC working groups and through independent industry stakeholders as identified in each of the recommendations in Fast Forward.

Operating by consensus and collaboration among all stakeholders (industry, unions, trainers, funders and policy makers); by capitalizing on industry strengths; and by putting in place mechanisms to harmonize and support training across the country; the NTAC will ensure that training is strategic, accessible and responsive to the immediate, ongoing and future needs of the film and television industry.
On the NTAC's first agenda were:
• a review of CHRC's work to date on competency charts and profiles and training gaps analyses for Directors and Producers of Documentary Films, Production Managers, and Producers and Directors in Film and Television. The NTAC will advise CHRC on the next competency charts to be developed.
• a presentation on the training gaps analysis that is being carried out on "below-the-line" occupations in the film and television industry - it was decided to use the occupations in the Telefilm budget as a point de départ for this work.
• a discussion on health and safety standards in the industry, including a presentation of best practices by SHAPE in BC and AQTIS in Quebec.
• a demonstration of the Film and Television Training Database
• and presentations of Best Practices from WIFT and RFAVQ

The NTAC will meet again in November to continue to track and guide progress on the training strategy.

Film and Television Training Database (FTTDB) renewed and expanded

We're delighted to announce that the Department of Canadian Heritage has agreed to fund the maintenance of the FTTDB for another year; and that, by popular demand, it will be expanded to include universities and colleges.

Feedback on the smooth and relatively simple functionality of the database has been consistently good. As well, training providers have been conscientious about maintaining their information as current and accurate. The big challenge has been to let people know the FTTDB is there - but word is getting out about how useful a tool this is, and the number of users is increasing steadily. The addition of educational institutions over the coming months will be a big step towards fulfilling its unique potential.

For more information on the Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) and its programs visit www.culturalhrc.ca