Extending XR so far: Reflections on our creative technology skills development programme

In summer 2025, XR Stories was awarded funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to deliver the Extending XR creative technology skills development programme to people in the region.

One of three programmes awarded a share of £2.4m from the Mayor’s Skills Innovation Fund, Extending XR aims to support 338 learners, deliver at least 20 courses and upskill 20 tutors across York and North Yorkshire over an 18 month period.

In January 2026, we opened registrations for the first phase of Extending XR — a series of foundational workshops focused on an overarching theme of ‘storytelling in a virtual world’. The workshops provided a practical, bite-sized introduction to complementary creative technologies spanning 3D scanning, basic animation, motion capture and creating virtual environments.

Seven months into the programme, our XR Stories team has delivered 32 foundational workshops to 143 participants, helping people across York and North Yorkshire to develop new skills in digital creative technology.

As bookings open for the next phase of Extending XR training opportunities, including specific digital skills workshops and train the trainer sessions, this blog considers some of the highlights and challenges from Extending XR so far.

The challenges

Our York and North Yorkshire Creative Industries Evidence Report (1) provides vital new evidence and insights into the challenges and opportunities facing people working in the York and North Yorkshire creative sector.

Identified as one of six competitive advantage areas in the York and North Yorkshire Local Growth Plan, the Creative Industries are at the forefront of digital and creative innovation and represent a vibrant success story for the region.

The headline figures for York and North Yorkshire’s creative sector are impressive; more than 20,000 creative jobs, 2,600 creative companies and £790 million per annum gross value added (GVA). However, behind the figures our research reveals a workforce facing barriers to skills development, problems with talent retention, and difficulties accessing infrastructure and finance. 

Findings from the 2025 York and North Yorkshire Creative Economy Census (2), conducted by XR Stories in partnership with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, reveal that: 

“…while the region benefits from a highly skilled and motivated creative workforce, the systems surrounding that workforce, particularly funding, infrastructure, support, mobility and skills-training, can limit opportunities for growth.” 

Evidence presented in the The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre’s state of the nation report on Skills Mismatches in the UK Creative Industries (3), provides insights on the impact of new technologies on those working in the sector: 

“Skills gaps among the existing creative industries workforce are also on the rise, as the sector struggles to get to grips with rapid technological advancement and innovation.”

In November 2025, our partner on the Extending XR programme, York Creatives, carried out a study to inform planning for programme activities and outreach. They spoke to people working at creative hubs, adult education providers and skills/bootcamp providers to gather information on Digital Creative Skills (DCS) training opportunities and perceptions on digital and creative technology more generally. 

The work revealed a sombre picture of underinvestment, digital exclusion and of people in rural and coastal areas feeling left behind. People spoke about how the communities they worked with had no access to digital equipment and how there were no visible local case studies to show the possibilities of working in the region’s Creative Industries.

Notably, the terms digital creative technology and XR (eXtended Reality) were perceived as alien and off-putting to some people, whilst others couldn’t see how they were relevant to help with career progression or upskilling in the sector.

Responding to the challenges

Extending XR responds directly to the aforementioned challenges by providing creative technology skills training to help retain and upskill people working (or wanting to work) in the region’s creative sector in a way that is flexible, inclusive and relevant to industry demand.

All aspects of the foundational workshops were designed to make the training inclusive and accessible. We used widely available equipment and free software, reduced/removed travel time and connected participants with local creative venues and associated communities that they might not otherwise have known about.

Participant numbers were capped at 12 for each session to support small group working and an informal, friendly workshop environment. The training style was practical and hands-on to encourage shared interactions and discussions.

The sequential nature of the workshops provided participants with a pathway to progression if they wanted to take it. Each workshop provided an option for participants to build on the skills they’d developed in the previous session, grow confidence and form connections with fellow participants. 

Designed and delivered by XR Stories Creative Technician Joe Rees-Jones, the foundational sessions were shaped by Joe’s specialist technical knowledge and experience helping individuals and small businesses in the region to elevate the digital side of their projects using creating technology. 

Alongside his creative technician duties, Joe supports research and teaching at the University of York’s AudioLab in the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology. Joe’s wide-ranging perspective enabled him to plan course content that would respond to the needs of participants and the wider creative sector.

Extending XR Delivery Manager, Em Willingham and XR Stories Deputy Director, Emma Brown leveraged initial outreach undertaken by York Creatives to identify venues for the foundational workshops at community hubs and public venues in Harrogate, Malton, Richmond, Scarborough, Settle, Skipton, Thirsk, York and Whitby.  

Communications focused on how developing skills in technologies such as 3D scanning could help to open up new ways for people to present their work or artistry, or for them to engage with new audiences or communities. This approach responded to findings in the York Creatives study about people not understanding how creative technology was relevant to their career progression.

Making a difference

As the workshops rolled out across the region, the roles and backgrounds of participants were consistently diverse. We welcomed artists, architects, technicians, teachers, photographers, graphic designers, screenwriters, cashiers, volunteers and carers (and many more). 

Whilst some participants already had a basic knowledge of the technology, many were complete beginners who were unclear about what creative technology could be used for and how it could benefit them. 

In their post-workshop feedback, participants commented that the workshops had been “eye-opening” and that they had learnt about technology they didn’t know existed prior to the training. 

“It was really engaging. I thought I might feel out of my depth having not used this software before but the patient way it was presented and the timing and pitch was perfect.”

Participant on Extending XR 3D scanning objects and characters workshop

A recurring theme in participant feedback was a desire to continue learning and development, either as part of work or via future training opportunities:

“I understand some of the techniques and am more familiar with the programs needed for character animation. I feel more confident to try it at home and it’s opened my eyes to other ways I could use it in my work.”

Participant on Extending XR character animation and performance capture workshop

People also appreciated hearing about how their fellow participants were using the technology: 

“I enjoyed hearing about how other people are using the tools.”

Participant on Extending XR 3D scanning objects and characters workshop

95% of participants who completed the post-workshop survey provided feedback that they had gained practical, hands-on digital skills from the session. 39% believed that they could see a pathway to integrate their newly gained skills in their career or studies.

51% of people came to more than one workshop which indicates a strong appetite amongst participants to continue their creative technology skills development. The second phase of Extending XR is already making this possible via sector-specific digital skills training in subjects including projection mapping and podcasting.

Learnings

Without doubt, one of the biggest hurdles of getting Extending XR up and running was engaging with local communities.

Venue leaders were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and supportive, but generating interest and workshop sign-ups from their respective community groups proved difficult.

Despite an extensive digital and printed communications campaign, outside of York participant numbers were frequently low and often less than half of the maximum number of attendees. 

Whilst we attempted to communicate the reasons why people should attend, conveying this to such a broad and unknown audience meant that the examples we gave were generic (e.g., ‘explore new ways to present your work or artistry’) and perhaps not always enough to convince people to sign up.

As the workshops rolled out, we were able to use photos and write ups from each session to talk about the people who attended and what they gained. This helped to increase engagement and drive sign ups at future workshops.

XR Stories is well-known in the York creative community, but in other areas many people had never heard of our project or understood our role as part of the University of York. 

Whilst we received positive feedback on the strong and eye-catching Extending XR branding, lack of brand awareness about our overarching XR Stories project meant that even with endorsement from local creative leaders and community venues, initial engagement took longer than anticipated.

To distinguish the new Extending XR workshops as formal training opportunities and separate them from our other XR Stories events (hosted on Eventbrite), we decided to use an external training management system to coordinate bookings, administration and communication for the foundational sessions. 

Despite internal user testing, some participants reported that they found the platform difficult to use. People struggled to progress their bookings and some reported that they had given up altogether. 

Our choice of booking platform potentially had a negative impact on sign-ups and following feedback from participants, we have reverted to using our long-standing Eventbrite page for future Extending XR bookings.

Final reflections

The York and North Yorkshire Local Growth Plan (2025) prioritises modular training, leadership pathways and rural access to ensure talent can start, stay and step up in the region’s creative sector.

The first phase of foundational workshops from Extending XR has enabled people from diverse backgrounds to gain new skills and explore practical examples of how creative technology can be used to pursue or enhance a career in the Creative Industries.

By taking the workshops to urban, rural and coastal communities across the region, Extending XR is providing inclusive and accessible opportunities to people who might have never previously engaged with creative technology skills training.

Respondents to the York and North Yorkshire Creative Economy Census provided feedback about how existing training schemes often generalise “creative industry” needs and called for sector-specific training to help people develop more niche knowledge.

By tailoring workshop content to align with skills applicable within the sector, Extending XR is addressing this issue.

The 2025 York and North Yorkshire Creative Economy Census states that:

“…with 46% of all Creative Industries jobs located in London and the South East, there is a need to drive further growth locally, to attract and retain local talent and to enable young people in the region to access opportunities to pursue a creative career close to home.”

The first phase of Extending XR has provided an entry point to adult Digital Creative Skills (DCS) training for people across the region. Additionally, by focusing on sector-specific applications of creative technology, the programme is helping people to develop industry-aligned skills that are in demand across York and North Yorkshire’s creative sector.

Subsequent Extending XR training and development opportunities will build on the foundational phase, providing a continued pathway for freelancers, small businesses, teachers and trainers in York and North Yorkshire to further develop and disseminate vital skills in creative technology.  

Behind the scenes, our delivery team is also responding to a further challenge highlighted in our Creative Industries research — a lack of cohesion in the provision of adult DCS training. Together with York Creatives, we’re developing an interactive engagement map to serve as a practical tool for people to discover creative spaces, collaborators and networks across the region.

When the Extending XR programme comes to an end in May 2027, participants will continue to benefit from being part of our XR Stories’ creative network where they can access support, advice and connections to propel their careers in the York and North Yorkshire Creative Industries. 

Visit the XR Stories website to find out about upcoming Extending XR training opportunities.