Our masterclasses bring the industry into the room.

Each session gives trainees direct access to people working across music, film, TV and games, offering an honest insight into how careers are built and what the work really involves.

These aren’t surface-level talks. Guests break down their process, share their journeys and speak openly about the realities of the industry, including the challenges as well as the successes.

Trainees are encouraged to ask questions, reflect on what they’ve heard and connect it back to their own work. The aim is not just to inspire, but to give a clearer sense of direction and a better understanding of what their future in the industry could look like.

Recent guests have included:

• Chase & Status (Music)

• Femi Koleoso - Ezra Collective (Music)

• Miles Jacobson - Sports Interactive (Games Design)

• Alexis Trust - Chucklefish (Games Design)

• Tim Bevan - Working Title (Film)

• Adrian Choa - Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere (TV)

Work experience at ELAM is where trainees step into the industry for themselves.

Work Experience placements are designed to give a real sense of what working life looks like, not just from the outside, but by being part of it. Trainees are expected to contribute, take responsibility and experience the pace and expectations of a professional environment.

We make sure trainees are properly prepared before they go out, supported while they’re there and given the space to reflect afterwards, so the experience has a lasting impact.

Work experience helps trainees build confidence, develop professional behaviours and start to understand where they fit within the industry. For many, it’s the moment where things start to feel real. This year our trainees have undertaken work experience at Universal and Sports Interactive.

Mentoring is where trainees build a real connection with the industry.

Each trainee is matched with someone working in their field, giving them regular access to advice, insight and support over time. It’s a space to ask questions, share work and have honest conversations about what it takes to move forward.

Mentors bring their own experience of the industry, helping trainees understand different pathways, avoid common pitfalls and stay focused on their goals.

More than anything, mentoring helps trainees build confidence in themselves and their work. It gives them someone in their corner, and a clearer sense that a future in the industry is possible. Our mentors span across every different facet of the Film, Games and Music industries from alumni making their way into the industry in entry level roles, to senior directors and CEO of major organisations. We have mentors from companies like Universal Music Group, Creative Assembly, Sony, Sports Interactive, The Look London, Chucklefish Games, United Talent Agency, WME, Capitol Music Group and many many more.

Industry briefs connect our curriculum directly with industry practice.

We work with professionals and organisations to shape the direction of projects that trainees complete as part of their course. Industry partners help develop the brief, introduce it to trainees at the start of the project and provide feedback as the work progresses.

This gives trainees a clearer understanding of what industry expectations look like and how creative work develops beyond the classroom. It also means the work they are producing is informed by people currently working in the field.

Industry briefs help trainees experience what it feels like to respond to a professional brief, take on feedback and develop their ideas with a real audience in mind.

Workshops give trainees the chance to explore more specific areas of the creative industries in depth.

These sessions focus on particular roles, topics or areas of interest that sit within music, film, TV and games. They might centre on a specialist part of the industry, a particular workflow or tool, or a pathway that trainees want to understand better.

Workshops are usually delivered to smaller groups, which creates space for more direct conversation with industry professionals and allows trainees to engage more closely with the subject.

They help trainees build a clearer picture of the range of roles within the industries and support them in developing knowledge that connects directly to their own interests and next steps.