Animation companies currently provide employment for around 4,700 people throughout the UK, of whom nearly two fifths are freelance or on short term contracts, with almost 20% Sole Traders, or self-employed. The largest key occupational groups are draw/stop frame animation employing around 1,000 people, producing (910), computer generated animation (900), and production (430). In addition, a further 1,100 more people are employed in key animation roles in other audiovisual sectors.
39% of the animation workforce entered the audiovisual industry before 1990, 39% during the 1990s and 22% since 2000. Less than a quarter of the workforce had received structured careers advice at any point in their working life.
34% of the animation industry's workforce are women, slightly less than the norm for the audiovisual industries as a whole. At 3%, the representation of ethnic minorities is among the lowest amongst all sectors of the audio visual industry.
http://www.skillset.org/animation/overview/article_2967_1.asp
