‘Final Checks creates practical pathways into film, TV and fashion for people in Barking & Dagenham — turning training into paid opportunities, supporting local businesses, and shaping a greener, more inclusive creative industry’.
Our Mission & Targets
UK Creative Industries at a Glance
The UK’s creative industries make a significant economic contribution, with the hair and beauty sector generating £13.5bn, film and high-end television production contributing £4.23bn, and ongoing growth driving demand for skilled, specialist crews across screen and fashion. Despite this scale and value, access to careers within these industries remains limited, particularly for young people and underrepresented communities in areas such as Barking & Dagenham.
Final Checks addresses this imbalance by connecting local people to high-value creative industries, delivering specialist, industry-led training, creating paid pathways into employment, and ensuring the borough benefits directly from national industry growth. By investing in local talent, Final Checks helps translate economic success in film, television, and fashion into real, tangible opportunities for Barking & Dagenham, rather than those benefits being concentrated solely in major production hubs elsewhere in the UK.
The Hair and Beauty Industry
The UK hair and beauty industry is a multi-billion-pound sector, with its direct contribution to UK GDP estimated at approximately £13.5 billion. It plays a vital role across multiple industries, including film, television, fashion, and live events.
Alongside this, the UK film and high-end television industry continues to grow at pace. In 2023 alone, UK film and high-end TV production reached £4.23 billion, demonstrating strong demand for skilled behind-the-scenes professionals, including hair, makeup, wardrobe, and production support roles.
As the screen and fashion industries expand, so does the need for trained, work-ready local talent — particularly in specialist roles that are often overlooked in traditional education pathways.
Our Impact in Barking & Dagenham
At Final Checks, we are proud to be rooted in Barking & Dagenham. Our work goes beyond training — we create real opportunities, strengthen the local economy, and help shape a more inclusive, skilled, and sustainable creative industry.
Creating Pathways into Film, TV & Fashion
We offer specialised industry training for people who want to work within film, television, and fashion. Our programmes are designed to give trainees practical, job-ready skills that reflect real industry standards — helping local talent break into creative careers that are often hard to access.
Supporting Young People from Age 15
We provide work experience opportunities from the age of 15, giving young people early exposure to creative industries. This helps build confidence, transferable skills, and clear career pathways at a critical stage of their development.
Paid Employment Opportunities
Final Checks is committed to turning training into real work. We offer paid job opportunities for our trainees and graduates, ensuring that learning leads to meaningful employment rather than unpaid or short-term placements.
Investing in the Local Economy
We actively work with local suppliers and employ local staff, keeping investment within Barking & Dagenham. By building strong local partnerships, we help support small businesses and create sustainable jobs in the borough.
Bringing Industry Professionals into the Borough
We bring industry professionals and specialists directly into Barking & Dagenham to train, mentor, and inspire our community. This ensures our trainees learn from people who are currently working at the highest levels of film, TV, and fashion.
Educating for a Greener Creative Industry
Sustainability is a key part of our mission. We educate trainees and professionals on becoming more environmentally responsible within the creative industries from greener working practices to long-term culture change.
Graphs and calculations highlight strong employment and progression outcomes alongside clear economic impact, both reflected through measurable percentage increases. Beyond this, skills and confidence growth show a significant soft impact, with 95% of trainees reporting increased confidence and readiness to work in the industry, while also demonstrating positive outcomes for youth development and safeguarding.
![work_experience_41_black_gold[1]](https://www.finalchecksacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/work_experience_41_black_gold1-600x400.png "work_experience_41_black_gold[1]")
![local_60_black_gold[1]](https://www.finalchecksacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/local_60_black_gold1-600x400.png "local_60_black_gold[1]")
![job_placements_52_black_gold[1]](https://www.finalchecksacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/job_placements_52_black_gold1-600x400.png "job_placements_52_black_gold[1]")
![feedback_95_black_gold[1]](https://www.finalchecksacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/feedback_95_black_gold1-600x400.png "feedback_95_black_gold[1]")
![distinction_55_black_gold[1]](https://www.finalchecksacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/distinction_55_black_gold1-600x400.png "distinction_55_black_gold[1]")
![attendance_90_black_gold[1]](https://www.finalchecksacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/attendance_90_black_gold1-600x400.png "attendance_90_black_gold[1]")
![age_16_19_80_black_gold[1]](https://www.finalchecksacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/age_16_19_80_black_gold1-600x400.png "age_16_19_80_black_gold[1]")
Make Diversity in Skin and Hair Mandatory in All Hair and Makeup Qualifications
The UK’s TV and Film industries are global leaders, showcasing stories from every culture and background. Yet, many hair and makeup training programs, especially those focused on TV and Film, lack mandatory education on working with diverse skin tones and hair textures. This leaves graduates unprepared for the realities of the industry, limits their career opportunities, and perpetuates exclusion and bias on screen and behind the scenes.
Final Checks Academy CIC wants to make a stand for artists to master techniques that celebrate all types of beauty. By making diversity training a legal requirement in all hair and makeup qualifications—especially those tailored for TV and Film—we can:
Equip future professionals with the skills to serve every client and character authentically and respectfully. Promote equality and challenge outdated beauty standards in media and fashion. Raise the quality and relevance of beauty education nationwide. Open doors to broader career opportunities for graduates in competitive industries.
Our Partnerships
Film London
Final Checks are excited to announce our partnership with Film London. Giving our learners the opportunity to work on feature films and real life experience on set.
‘We support talent, develop creativity and promote London as a global production hub ‘
BAFTA Scholarship
Final Checks Makeup and Hair is now endorsed by the BAFTA’s giving our trainees the opportunity to apply for scholarships and more opportunities within the TV and Film Industry. Head over to our funding page for more details
ScreenSkills Select endorses courses that have been recognised by practitioners as relevant to working in the screen industries, a process designed to answer industry criticisms that courses were producing trainees without appropriate knowledge and experience for the workplace.
Film Barking & Dagenham
5 minutes from our academy Darren Rodwell, leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, added: “It gives the green light to what will be London’s largest film studio, so it’s a major milestone in the renewal of a part of London badly hit by de-industrialisation and austerity.”
It has already attracted big-budget films such as Marvel’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Black Widow and Doctor Strange, as well as hit TV dramas including Netflix’s Black Mirror.
Our trainees will benefit from employment opportunities during and after their studies
BTEC Pearson
The widest choice and full spread of vocations with BTEC Tech Awards. Find out more. BTEC Tech Awards give an holistic, engaged vocational experience. Find out more. Qualifications. BTEC Nationals. A Levels. Functional Skills. Apprenticeships. Business.
Tel: 0344 576 0045
Models Of Diversity
Where are the models of colour? The larger models? The shorter models? The models with a disability? The older models? Models of Diversity is the campaign for more diversity in the models we see every day. We call on the fashion, beauty and marketing industries to recognise the beauty in people of all races, ages, shapes, sizes and abilities. Our mission is to change the face of fashion and modelling.
Tel: 01737 552 864
Activ8tion
Activ8tion’s aim is to inspire the younger generation and their families to live a healthy, positive and fulfilled life.
Tel: 07815 540 244
Email: info@activ8tion.co.uk
Havering – Mind
Side by Side is a supportive online mental health community where you can be yourself. We all know what it’s like to struggle sometimes, but now there’s a safe place to listen, share and be heard.
Tel: 01708 457040
Chic Photography Studio
Friendly Essex photography studio for beauty, family, and corporate portraits
Email: info@chicmedia.co.uk
Kryolan
At Kryolan, we make make-up. But not like anybody else.
Because unlike everybody else, we actually make our make-up. As one of the first cosmetics brands in the world, we use our own formulas and recipes to manufacture our own products. We think of them. We create them. Formulate them and love them into existence. We’ve been doing this over 75 years. And we’re still doing it today.
There is only one real professional make-up maker. There is only one Kryolan.
Web: www.kryolan.com
Together We Stand
We are an organisation supporting victims of abuse and harassment within the Arts and associated charities. Our intention is to help support victims and advise them on how to report incidents and find the professional help they may need. We are not law enforcement, nor are we legal or health professionals. We are acting as a go-between and confidant in the hope that people will find the courage to speak up and address these very serious issues which are prevalent in the Arts sector.
Tel: 07931521784
BEP Group – Work Experience Provider
BEP Group (Charity): work experience | work related learning and enterprise education | employability skills | mentoring
BEP Academy (Independent School): alternative education including gcse, functional skills and vocational qualifications
BEP Appointments (Ltd Company): recruitment agency
