Heather Carey

Director of Work Advance

Heather Carey is Director of Work Advance, where she provides research and advisory support with a particular focus on inclusive growth; industrial strategy; work and skills; diversity and inclusion. She was previously Interim Director and Deputy Director of the Work Foundation (part of Lancaster University) and Head of Economic Policy for Experian PLC.

She has nearly two decades of experience in advising Government, including the Cabinet Office, MHCLG, BEIS, DWP, HCA and the Welsh Assembly; Local Authorities across the UK; Industry bodies; Skills bodies; think tanks; and major corporates.

Heather is particularly experienced in labour market and skills research and has worked extensively with the creative industries. She leads a major programme of work for the Skills, Talent and Diversity area of the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC),including an evidence review and a policy review series on class in the creative industries.

She recently worked with the Film and TV Charity on ‘the Looking Glass’: the first major study into mental health in the UK film, TV and cinema industry, which informed the development of the Whole Picture programme. Prior to this, she led the BFI-funded Skills Audit for the film and screen industries, which culminated in the 5-year, £22m Future Film Skills investment programme. She also designed and developed the ScreenSkills Skills Forecasting Service. While at Experian, she led a large number of research projects over the course of a decade, focussing on mapping, understanding the needs of, and shaping policy to support the success of the UK creative industries.

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