Minister Lyons spotlights creative career opportunities during visit to Antrim Grammar

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with Head Boy, Jake Quigley, Head Girl, Emma-Louise White and Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen at his recent visit to Antrim Grammar School to see Northern Ireland Screen’s creative education and careers pipeline.

Young people in Northern Ireland could find their future careers in the rapidly growing screen and creative industries, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said during a visit to Antrim Grammar School to see how students are developing film and digital skills in the classroom.

The minister travelled to the school to observe the creative education and careers pipeline delivered by Northern Ireland Screen, with a focus on programmes run through Into Film including ScreenWorks and Story Builder.

The Department for Communities has provided £352,000 in funding to support the initiative.

During the visit, the minister met students and saw their practical work first-hand — including a life-size replica of the famous droid R2D2 from the Star Wars films, created by pupils as part of their project work.

Building a pathway into the screen industry

Speaking during the visit, Mr Lyons said he was encouraged by the scale of creative opportunities being developed through schools.

“I was pleased to support and see for myself the work of Into Film in Northern Ireland and am proud that we are leading the way across the UK in developing film education resources and innovative careers programmes,” he said.

“Northern Ireland Screen’s model of making creativity, cultural access and creative careers accessible to all, through schools is extremely successful and Into Film is a key part of that.

“Our creative industries are a major growth area and recent developments, particularly in screen technology, will provide unprecedented opportunities for our young people.

“Clear talent pipelines, and education which builds creative and digital skills and improves career awareness, will be key in helping young people to take advantage of new local opportunities.”

Hands-on learning for students

The programmes delivered through Northern Ireland Screen form part of a wider creative industries education initiative funded by the Department for Communities.

Students at Antrim Grammar regularly take part in the ScreenWorks programme, gaining practical experience through projects and industry engagement.

Activities have included building a life-size R2D2 prop from Star Wars, producing a suit of gladiator armour, and visiting virtual production facilities in Belfast to learn about modern screen technology.

The initiatives are designed to strengthen the study of Moving Image Arts while introducing students to the broad range of roles within the screen sector.

Supporting the creative workforce of tomorrow

Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said the programmes are designed to give young people a clear pathway into creative careers.

“The screen industry offers a wide range of exciting career opportunities, from writing and directing to animation, VFX and production, and it’s vital that young people can see a clear pathway into those roles,” he said.

“With support from the Department for Communities, Into Film and ScreenWorks deliver initiatives that strengthen Moving Image Arts, giving students like those we met at Antrim Grammar hands-on experience, industry insight and the confidence to fulfil their potential.

“By nurturing talent in our classrooms today, we are building the creative workforce of tomorrow here at home.”

Storytelling and digital skills in the classroom

A key element of the programme is StoryBuilder, an interactive teaching resource funded by the Department for Communities which helps teachers integrate storytelling and creative learning across the curriculum.

The resource also introduces students to careers in the screen industry while developing transferable skills such as collaboration, communication and creative thinking.

StoryBuilder: Filmmaker — launched in October 2025 — was created to support GCSE Moving Image Arts students, helping them structure and develop their own film ideas while covering key elements of the curriculum.

At a glance

• Communities Minister Gordon Lyons visited Antrim Grammar School to highlight creative career opportunities.

• The visit showcased education programmes delivered by Northern Ireland Screen through Into Film.

• The Department for Communities has invested £352,000 in the initiative.

• Students demonstrated projects including a life-size Star Wars R2D2 replica and a gladiator armour prop.

• The ScreenWorks programme provides hands-on experience and industry insight for pupils.

• StoryBuilder resources help teachers integrate storytelling and film skills across subjects.

• StoryBuilder: Filmmaker launched in October 2025 to support GCSE Moving Image Arts students.

• The initiative aims to build a clear pathway from school into Northern Ireland’s growing screen industry.