With a new Leavesden Studio and increased production output across TV, film and games, Warner Bros. UK is investing in local future creative talent through a number of new scholarships, apprenticeships and educational initiatives.

Among the Creative Talent programs launching in September are 12 scholarships attached to work placements and mentoring, three of which will be under the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games in partnership with BAFTA. The Prince William Scholarships will grant up to US$15,500 to cover post-graduate course fees and will provide mentoring support, free access to BAFTA events around the UK and a funded work placement within the Warner Bros. group of companies.

Furthermore, six apprenticeships will be offered up with roles ranging from set-lighting to post-production, and two training positions will be available on every Warner Bros. film production taking place in the UK.

Additionally, Warner Bros. and Film Nation UK will collaborate to educate thousands of school-aged children around the country about the film industry.

In recent years, Warner Bros. has become the single largest contributor to Creative Skillset’s Skills Investment Fund (SIF), investing more than US$1.5 million over the last nine years and hosting a range of Harry Potter-themed educational classes for roughly 25,000 school children every year.

The commitments come as Warner Bros. nears the one-year anniversary of opening its US$155 million revamped Leavesden Studio, which was  inaugurated by The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry last week, and prepares to launch the upcoming film blockbusters Man of Steel and The Hobbit and children’s video games LEGO Marvel Super Heroes and Cartoon Universe.