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My Experience of with Autism and the ��̳

2021-06-18T11:59:41+00:00

My Experience of with Autism and the ��̳

The ��̳ has been one of the most supportive companies I’ve worked for. They’re always willing to listen to my additional needs and accommodate. Both the managers and team members. They work with my autism, not against it, in order to help me produce my best work and thrive being my authentic self.

I’ve never felt like I’ve had to mask or hide my autism within my role as everyone has been so understanding. Throughout my life I’ve had to mask my autism, pretend to be “normal” in order to avoid judgement. I’ve never felt this way in this role. They’re always ready to listen to me and help to understand me further. The ��̳ go the extra mile to make sure I feel comfortable and included both working from home and when I’ve been in the office. I’ve had extra 1 to 1 meetings with managers to discuss additional needs which have been met without judgement and posthaste. Having autism isn’t easy, everyday is different with a unique set of challenges but working for a company willing to listen and understand helps to take some of that weight off your shoulders.

Dan - Autism, Pride and Me

2021-06-18T11:57:35+00:00

Dan - Autism, Pride and Me

A few months ago, I always used to feel a bit of a fraud saying that I had Autism. The reason behind this was because my Autism didn’t really affect me on a day to day basis anymore. I had been able to lead a relatively ‘normal’ and happy life for several years after having CBT and counselling therapy when I was 16. It was almost as if my Autism was an invisible friend/passenger that I could pull out to use to my advantage when needed i.e. remembering facts and trivia for quizzes or entertaining my work colleagues on our lunch break by being able to remember the release year of every movie they presented to me.

It was out of nowhere that my Autism and some of the complications that can come with it came back with a vengeance in the last few months almost out of nowhere. I began to encounter difficulties with my placement and studies at the ��̳ even more so strange as the ��̳ has always been 110% behind me and my Autism – they have basically never let my Autism define me but they are always reminding me that help and support is there if needed. It was no one fault that these ‘difficulties’ had appeared, just a reminder that I do have Autism and should never feel like a fraud for saying that I am Autistic. My mental health and anxiety was virtually in tatters.

I spoke to my managers and schemes advisors about the difficulties I was having and without hesitation, I was offered tailored and personalised support to continue my apprenticeship with ease with my wellbeing and mental health being the main priority. I always knew the ��̳ would support me but the level of support I did receive was outstanding and I was completely amazed by it. As I like to put ‘they really did put the money where their mouth was’.

I have now been able to continue my apprenticeship to a learning style that is best for me and my Autism and not only do I not feel like a fraudster anymore, I now have a new found pride in my autism and I cannot wait to experience my journey in life and the ��̳ with my Autism in tow.

Ben Barnett - Why having a disability is not a barrier to success

2021-05-27T15:52:30+00:00

Why having a disability is not a barrier to success

Broadcast Operator Apprentice Ben Barnett reveals what it was like to join the ��̳ as an apprentice with a disability during the pandemic.

If you told me a few years ago, that I would be joining the ��̳ during a global pandemic, I would not have believed you…

Hey! My name is Ben Barnett and that is exactly what happened to me – I am a Broadcast Operator Apprentice based in London and I am profoundly deaf with cochlear implants.

To this day I find it surreal for me to say I work for the ��̳. For as long as I can remember, I have always been fascinated by how the television programs, radio shows and other forms of production are created.

Like the rest of the world, the ��̳ has had to adapt and make changes to keep everyone safe. This has resulted in me occasionally working both from home and in buildings. However, this has not jaded my experience so far and I put this down to the tenacity and professionalism of the organisation.

So far, I have been involved in virtual training covering post-production, camera operating, lighting and understanding a wide range of systems that I will be using soon. I had the opportunity to film live reports with some of the best correspondents the ��̳ has to offer and filming historical events as they happen.

When we return to normality, I look forward to meeting more colleagues in person and getting involved in practical tasks, whilst still learning on the job.

For me personally, I am most excited to show everyone that having a disability is not a barrier to success, nor is it a way of ticking boxes. You are employed for being you, showing your eagerness to learn and develop new skills.

If I could give some advice to prospective apprentices, it would be this:

Always be keen to learn new things. With that said, try to gain a variety of experiences that will support your interests. As the saying goes, ‘If at first you don’t succeed try, try again’ and ask for feedback every time! After all it’s all about learning and bringing your personality to the job.

Check out this video made by Ben, where he explains what a standard day looks like for a ��̳ Broadcast Operator!

Miriam Barker - Apprentice of the Year

2021-05-27T14:54:29+00:00

Meet the Apprentice of the Year!

Meet Digital Journalism Apprentice Miriam Barker, who has been announced as the QSA Apprentice of the Year.

A huge congratulations to Digital Journalism Apprentice Miriam Barker on being announced as the QSA Apprentice of the Year, as well as winner of the QSA Creative Industry Award. The awards, run by the Quality Skills Alliance, celebrate success and achievement across all apprenticeship sectors, as well as recognising employers and their ongoing commitment to education and employment. Cardiff & Vale College – our learning provider for the Wales cohort – nominated Miriam for the award, with support from ��̳ Wales.
With the Digital Journalism Apprenticeship coming to an end next week, what better way for Miriam to graduate from the scheme and start her new staff role at ��̳ Wales?

Speaking about Miriam's surprise win, Daniell Morrisey, Portfolio Manager for the Editorial Schemes, said:

"What an amazing – and well deserved – accolade this is for Miriam as she reaches the end of her apprenticeship."

"It's been wonderful to see her develop and produce some great content, most recently working on the Senedd elections coverage. It's a great testament to her future career as a journalist at the ��̳."

"Huge congrats to Miriam in being named in these awards, and all of our journalism apprentices who complete the scheme and move into journalism researcher roles across ��̳ Wales, Scotland, News and the English Regions next week."

Reflecting on her win and her time on the scheme, Miriam said:

"I'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone here at ��̳ Wales, especially Wales Today and the News Online team. Without their support I wouldn't have been able to grow so much over the last 18 months. Because of all their help and support, I see these awards as not just for me, but for the whole team beside me too."

"The 18 months of sheer determination has been massively worth it. I never thought I’d be in this position today where I actually love my job. I never thought I’d be able to say, I work at the ��̳ and I wake up everyday excited about going to work.”

Kay Martin, Principal of Cardiff and Vale College and Chair of the QSA said:

"The Quality Skills Alliance is a consortia of 19 expert training providers working together to provide excellence in apprenticeships and supporting individuals to start and develop their careers – delivering 46 apprenticeship routes covering 11 different sectors."

"Over the last 12 months we have worked with more than 1,000 employers and more than 2,000 apprentices in both the public and private sectors from small local businesses to large, global organisations across Wales and beyond."

"To win overall Apprentice of the Year is therefore a significant achievement and on Miriam truly deserved having shone not only her chosen profession, but across the board. We have been so pleased to work on this innovative apprenticeship with ��̳ Cymru Wales, which this year saw a 100 per cent success rate with all nine apprentices passing and progressing on to careers in digital journalism."

"Huge congratulations to all involved and to Miriam for her award."

Carolyne O'Reilly- “I am transgender”

2021-04-28T08:40:26+00:00

I joined the ��̳ as a 37-year-old graduate trainee in 2000 after university, I was a rather mature student, and it was not until January 2019 that I felt I could come out as transgender; for many reasons, although I knew my gender identity was not the same as other boys as young as 6, I just did not know why, as then the World Wide Web was still many years in the future.

When I told two colleagues/friends at the ��̳ that I was transgender, there was nothing but support from them, as was the case from all my colleagues/friends at the ��̳, and when I first said aloud, “I am transgender”, I just felt happy, as I was finally being true to myself, and with those around me. Also, my relations and friends have been equally supportive, which I am aware sadly is not always the experience other transgender people have encountered.

Over the last two years my transition has been a gradual process; facial hair removal, voice feminisation speech therapy, presenting fully as female, legally changing my name, starting HRT etc; and ��̳’s HR department was very supportive and helpfully in enabling my gender identity change, with as one example, issuing me with my Staff ID in my female name.

I also have weekly psychotherapy session, currently online, and this has greatly helped with my successfully transition, so that I can now say that “I am proud to be a member of the LGBTQI+ Community as a Lesbian Trans Women”, see not all trans women are straight. 😊

'Growing up in Pakistan, I never thought that I'd be working at the ��̳' by Rimshah Razzaq.

2021-03-23T14:59:08+00:00

When I was growing up in Pakistan, I never thought that one day I'd be working at the ��̳. Moving to England was a massive change as a 12-year-old; I had to learn a new language and culture while battling an identity crisis.

At 16, I wanted to join the army - crazy I know! But my media teacher knew I was made for the broadcasting world and encouraged me to apply for a media apprenticeship. That’s how I ended up working for the ��̳. Getting on to the apprenticeship wasn’t easy, you had the application form, assessment day and back then, I spent 3 months in college before being accepted on the apprenticeship. The apprenticeship team are great and one person who supported me was David Longworth.

I didn’t take the usual educational route most Asian women are expected to take. While on the apprenticeship we had to network and got the chance to meet some of the Talent and Resourcing Managers across the ��̳. I remember chatting to the lovely Victoria Roye and a few weeks later I had a placement at ��̳ Entertainment and from there my career took off. I have been very fortunate to try out different job roles with the ��̳, from working in productions, recruitment, IT and currently I work in Design + Engineering. You don’t always have to have a 5-year plan, I certainly didn’t and trying out the different area’s within ��̳ helped me decide the career path I wanted to take. If you’re reading this, I would encourage you to explore the ��̳ there are so many departments Productions, HR, Digital, Commercial and we even have lawyers.

While doing these roles I wasn’t always sure where I wanted to be, it wasn’t until I started working in D&E I decided Project/Delivery Management was the route I wanted to progress with. I get to work on some great projects. Recently I have been working on a very exciting project, which involves creating and delivering an app for the Tokyo Olympics Team to assist with the content planning. Also, soon I will be joining the ��̳ Sounds Team as a Delivery Manager and helping build an awesome ��̳ product.

As an Asian woman, I do have to work twice as hard and I’m always second-guessing myself. Over the last year or so, I joined the WiSTEM Network, which is a staff network that aims to connect, empower and inspire women, and those who identify as women, with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers at the ��̳. I can’t express how much being part of this network has helped me build my confidence and I get to work with some remarkable women across the ��̳.

The ��̳ is a big organisation, and it can be tough to navigate. Like many of us, we have faced challenges during our careers and the great thing about the ��̳ is that you have access to so many resources. Now with the support of my new line manager Nora Bereczkei, I will be doing a degree-level apprenticeship in project management. Personally, the reason why I feel successful is that I’m always learning either on the job or by doing courses to learn new skills. You have to be willing to learn constantly especially in the Tech/Digital world.

I believe learning never ends at a certain age. Growing up in Pakistan taught me the value of learning and hard work. I connect so deeply with this quote and I hope it inspires you too. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

'I wanted children but I also wanted my career’ by Bonnie Hastings

2021-03-23T13:18:10+00:00

My name is Bonnie, I am 37 and a married mum of two girls who are aged 3 and 4. I am also disabled. I was not born disabled, but about 12 years ago I was diagnosed with a type of inflammatory arthritis (autoimmune disease) called Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), and more recently a pain condition called Fibromyalgia. It is a hidden disability which causes chronic pain stiffness and swelling in my joints, muscles and tendons, extreme fatigue and brain fog to name a few. My symptoms are often debilitating and affect not only my spine but my ankles, knees, hips and shoulders. To manage my disability I take a combination of biological injections to lower my immune system to stop it attacking itself, strong painkillers, nerve pain tablets and anaesthetic plasters (pain patches). I also need regular physiotherapy, joint injections and steroid injections.

My biggest achievement is having my two daughters. There was a time where due to my AS I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go through with a pregnancy, let alone two. Being pregnant with AS was difficult because I did not have anyone who I could relate to, my Rheumatologist couldn’t provide me with any advice as she didn’t have any female AS patients with children.

Fortunately my pregnancies were uncomplicated in terms of the baby but very hard on me physically and in my second pregnancy I had to be admitted to hospital to deal with the pain it caused when I was 7 months pregnant. Fortunately, both my girls (who were born 12 months apart) were healthy 9lb-ers and thriving but after the second baby I was a wreck. My body was literally done in, my core strength was non-existent and my pain levels were through the roof as I had to stop my biological injections prior to the births and then whilst I was breastfeeding. I had two umbilical hernias caused by a large separation of my abdominals and I needed surgery to be put back together.

Whilst I was in no way strong physically, being a disabled woman has helped me to hone my mental skills such as resilience and determination. I have often been told I cannot do things but that has never stopped me from trying. I was keen to go back to my full time position at ��̳ Studios and I knew I needed to find another level of resolve in order to firstly, look after a 12 month old and a new born, then again after abdominal surgery to slowly build up my strength.

Fortunately, since coming back to ��̳ Studios (I will be celebrating 15 years here in a few months), my Manager was extremely helpful and supportive. Her attitude and care meant that I felt no untoward pressure. She was interested and understood in how my needs had changed not only in terms of my disability being worse but also now being a mum of two young children and she helped me feel comfortable working flexibly and pointed me in the direction of help if I ever needed it.

People often ask me how I manage to live with a hidden disability, look after two young children and work full time and my answer is always because I’m a woman. I wanted children but I also wanted my career. Every day I try my best and that’s enough for me because that is all I ever want my daughters to do. No matter what barriers may be up, I would always want them to try their best to achieve their goals in life to be whatever makes them happy.

Apprentice #lockdowndiaries – Emily Saffron, Software Engineer Apprentice

2021-02-08T11:38:31+00:00

Hi! I’m Emily Saffron and I started as a software engineer degree apprentice based in London in September 2020. I’ll finish with a degree in digital and technology solutions – as well as 3 years of work experience!

Of course, my scheme has had to adapt this year. I am yet to enter a ��̳ building or meet anyone in person. However, this hasn’t left me lonely or unsociable, from the beginning I have virtually hung out with the other apprentices and my placement team. I’ve taken part in (and lost) so many zoom quizzes I’m now a trivia master. I’ve played “Among Us” with my placement team enough to know none of us are a convincing imposter.

On a day-to-day basis my team stay connected through Slack, a messaging app. This is a pretty fun way of staying in touch, with a range of gifs and emojis quickly becoming a main communication method. Meetings held on zoom are used as an opportunity for casual chat as well. Working from home, personally, has been a very positive experience, it helps that my commute has never been so short!

I look forward to continuing as I am now; everyone has been so nice that I’m excited to continue those friendships in person eventually. If I could tell brand new apprentices anything, I’d say not to worry about not getting on with people – I have never been in a more welcoming space where it’s easy to build friendships, even virtually.

‘’Always be your authentic self, it’s more hassle pretending to be someone else’’- Dan O'Brien, Management Apprentice

2021-02-04T11:01:43+00:00

‘’Always be your authentic self, it’s more hassle pretending to be someone else’’

Hello, My name is Dan and I am a 30 year old apprentice currently working at the ��̳ on the Chartered Management Degree scheme. Since my scheme began, I have worked in the Children’s department and worked in the TV team with the Media Planning department (Marketing & Audiences).

When I was told that I had been one of the 12 successful applicants that had been selected for the scheme, I was overjoyed, overwhelmed and somewhat over proud. I was so proud that I had got my ‘dream job’ and was going to work for a corporation I had always admired.

In other ways, I was so proud that I was able to represent different aspects of my life and character within this juggernaut of a British Institution. I am gay and had only come to terms with this myself a few years previously so there was a still a lot for me to learn about myself and I have strong working class roots, so I couldn’t wait to try and help represent somebody from a different socio-economic background within the Beeb as well.

If truth be told, I ashamedly thought that the ��̳ was going to lack different characters and walks of life in the inside. I thought that I would arrive on my first day within my team and it would consist of 13 heterosexual upper class white men of a certain age (not that there would have been anything wrong with that necessarily).

When I arrived for my induction and then on my first day in my placement, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The ��̳ couldn’t be more diverse if it tried! I have met so many different people from different backgrounds and it has really heightened my apprenticeship experience. Why on earth I had that initial unconscious bias about the ��̳ is beyond me. Especially when I had been a fan of how diversity and LGBTQ plus representation had been promoted on air within its programmes and content.

Not only did I learn I was very wrong in that respect and that I wouldn’t be expected to fly the flag for LGBTQ plus solo, I also realised that the ��̳ wanted every single one of their employees to be their ‘authentic self’ and true to themselves and this is what I have always tried to do throughout my life. I have never felt more comfortable in my own skin at a workplace than I have the ��̳.

I was even more elated to hear that there are different community groups and socials that are dedicated to different diversity groups such as LGBTQ plus and that the ��̳ have allyship programmes as well.

I will always be grateful to the ��̳ and my managers for taking a chance in me and giving a gay, late 20 something year old man from a mining town with no experience in the industry his dream job and a chance to be my best authentic self.

I would urge anyone with an interest in a pursuing a business based career in the media industry to apply to one of the schemes, I have never looked back. Remember, when you do apply – be your authentic self, it’s more hassle pretending to be someone else!

My first Year as a ��̳ HR Apprentice- Rebecca Dawes

2021-02-01T11:29:14+00:00

We caught up with Rebecca, our HR Apprentice to hear how her first year has been, particularly in the middle of a global pandemic.

1. How has your first year went as an HR apprentice?

My first year as a HR apprentice has been quite different to how anyone could of expected due to the pandemic however I have still enjoyed every minute! Over the past year I have had the opportunity to work in a number of different HR teams, learning what processes each team carries out and contributing to projects. Since March last year I have been working from home, this hasn’t affected my everyday tasks too much as I can do my role easily from my laptop and still communicate instantly with the rest of the team over skype. I have completed all the modules for the main part of my apprenticeship course and just have one assessment left to complete.

2. Has there been any particular highlights?

I have enjoyed having the opportunity to work in so many different teams so far in my apprenticeship, this has given me experience in different aspects of HR from giving advice to carrying out HR processes. I have also enjoyed being able to take part in HR projects which has given me a deeper insight into how projects are coordinated and put together.

3. How has your role been adapted due to the pandemic?

In March last year I was working in the HR Helpdesk team, a few days before the official lockdown started we were told we would all be working from home. Although I started working from home my role itself didn’t change much, I could still take calls, communicate with the rest of the team and work on cases. When moving into a new team, working from home made learning new processes a bit more daunting, however by sharing screens with others in the team it wasn’t too different from being in the office. Overall I have enjoyed working from home.

4. What does the year ahead look like for you?

In the next few months I will be working on my End Point Assessment for my apprenticeship on the side of my day to day work in the Pay and Redundancy team. This is a piece of work is about a HR project I have been involved in, the project I chose to work on is around implementing the Outplacement Support service for international ��̳ employees. This End Point Assessment will take me up to the end of my apprenticeship in March, after this I will move into a HR role.

5. If you could turn back time and give yourself some advice as a new apprentice just starting out, what would you say?

If I could go back in time and give myself some advice I would say don’t worry about joining a new team that you don’t know anything about. When I join a new team I only know the basics of what that team does which can be daunting but everyone else in the team are always so helpful and you learn process by process so you’ll never be given anything you’re not trained to do.

Harvey Church- Zooming into the ��̳

2020-11-23T16:29:41+00:00

Harvey Church, Broadcast Engineering Apprentice tells us what it's like starting an apprenticeship at the ��̳ in the middle of a global pandemic.

When starting the application process late in 2019 to be a broadcast engineer, I never thought I would end up firstly with a job offer and that the entire process would start over zoom.

On my first day, I spent my first hour learning to wrangle a new computer then spent the rest of the day meeting the other apprentices and members of the wider 2020 cohort. My first introductions were from the Scheme Manager and Co-ordinator.

The two week induction was great, but took time to get used to within the remote setting. Social interactions that I normally cherish were hidden behind a tiny video box on my screen. I often found myself questioning whether it’s normal to wave goodbye on video?

There were a few meetings where no one had their video on. There was nothing more terrifying than seeing a blank screen of faceless icons. I’ve found a good icebreaker has been asking what people did for their lunch hour, but I now realise that only has a limited time window to work!

Re-learning how to learn

In a world without Covid-19, my commute would have been an hour on the train to New Broadcasting House in London, but for the time being it’s 10 steps down a flight of stairs and a mad dash to the kitchen table. I suspect this will be for the foreseeable future. This is currently the way university lectures and apprenticeship training at ��̳ Wood Norton have also been delivered.

Wood Norton training is delivered online and it’s a massive highlight for me! Other apprentices have raved about their weeks there, so expectations were high however changes to ensure safety meant it was transitioned online.

The instructors might say they’re not good camera operators, but I can say that I received an excellent virtual tour around a radio and TV studio. Even if it was not in person, the usage of multiple camera shots, wireless mics and in-depth insights made me feel like I was almost there.

We moved through a variety of content as they tried to give a good a picture as possible; I did feel a little drowned in key words and the broadcast engineer’s equivalent of legalese. With a few more university lectures under my belt and looking back after few weeks, I am grateful they did not glaze over things. They offered plenty of time for questions and were contactable to help clear any queries.

I have been lucky to have been able to meet most of the other apprentices in person, twice! Once for university induction and a second time for a few days of practical coursework. In person teaching involved camera lens and lens testing as well as the opportunity to create a mock news program. The segments were based on fairy tales – often to comical affect with several John “Snows” (Game of Thrones and Channel 4) used in the weather segment.

Looking to the future

We have placements scheduled to take place in January 2021 which will make a nice change of tone to what has overall been a very slow year before joining ��̳.

When this is all over, I doubt that I will miss so much Zoom as there is something a little soul draining about watching a screen for so long. It might be the new norm though, so I have picked up a few techniques to help make a zoom session as productive as possible!

Be More Dog with our Production Apprentice, Annie

2020-11-06T11:53:17+00:00

During lockdown some of us experienced a negative shift in our mental health, due to the imposed restrictions. This got me curious about how our pets were coping. I wondered whether being cooped up inside while their owners worked from home had a negative impact on their mental wellbeing. Naturally I reached out to Henry, the Blue Peter dog, (his owner, actually) to find if she had noticed any changes.
I wasn’t surprised when she said he was enjoying lockdown. He loved the around the clock attention he was getting, and he was as carefree as he had always been.

I believe we can learn a lot from Henry’s attitude. The impending lockdown can have us concerned about the future, but nobody knows what the future holds. I know this for sure; If we decide to take whatever life throws at us in our stride, we will be happier.

One of the highlights from my apprenticeship has been the confidence I have gained to produce video content for Ariel, ��̳ online magazine. The skills I have obtained from college and my placement will stand me in good stead when applying for future opportunities.

My First Year as a Broadcast Operator Apprentice- Katie Bryson

2020-10-07T09:57:16+00:00

Hi, I’m Katie and I’m 21 years old. I’m the Broadcast Operator Apprentice based in Media City and I started in September 2019. I’ve wanted to work behind the scenes for the ��̳ for as long as I can remember. I heard about the Apprenticeship scheme through ��̳ Get In. I wasn’t successful with my first application and so went to university instead but I didn’t enjoy sitting in lectures all day; I prefer to learn on the job and the apprenticeship means you get to study for qualifications at the same time. I made the big decision to leave university and reapply to the scheme and second time around I got in!

My first few weeks on the scheme were spent with the seven other apprentices from all over the UK. We had an introduction week in Birmingham and then it was off to Wood Norton, the ��̳ training centre for two weeks before starting our placements. I couldn’t wait to get started. The two weeks flew by; we had a number of introductory talks including an overview of our Broadcast Operator Apprenticeship course and a studio tour followed by a safety briefing. Thereafter, the focus was learning the basics of vision and audio fundamentals and camera foundations.

Arriving in Media City for my first day on placement was daunting but my new colleagues were extremely welcoming and took a lot of time and effort introducing me to the equipment and the differing roles. At the beginning of my second week, I recalled some advice from one of the Wood Norton trainers on how to get the best from a placement so I asked my line manager if it would be possible to go on an Outside Broadcast. I was allowed to accompany the team to Bishop Auckland to work on the ��̳ Breakfast’s election coverage. I was determined to make myself useful and learn as much as possible. I helped rig the sound and lighting equipment and cable bashed for the programmes live broadcast. My hard work and initiative paid off because I was asked to go on a second OB at the end of that week: this time it was off to Port Sunlight with the ��̳ Children in Need team. I assisted the camera and lighting teams with rigging and I cable bashed again for the live programme.

Shortly after, I accompanied the team to another OB to Norwich where I was given the role of sound assistant and helped set up the equipment, including the four wired microphones on the famous red sofa. I also mic-ed up the guests during the live programme - this had to be done during the VTs so there were some extremely quick turn arounds - fantastic experience for an apprentice learning to work calmly in a pressurised situation. I wrote a blog about my first few months on the Broadcast Operator scheme to encourage others to apply for Apprenticeships and it was published on the ��̳ Get In website and Twitter. Then it was back on the road with the ��̳ Breakfast team for the last election OB at the Crewe Heritage Centre. I was given the role of sound assistant again with the responsibility of setting up the stage box, PA system, red sofa’s fixed line microphones and the twelve wired microphones for the panel guests. I mic-ed up the presenters and sofa guests for the programme and took the helical transmitter, plugged into the IEM receivers, out of the warehouse when the presenter moved location.

Just before the Christmas break, I was allowed to operate one of the cameras for the ��̳ Music Introducing recording for the first time. I also sound assisted for the North West Tonight Christmas OB. I met up with the rest of my cohort in London one weekend. Despite being spread across the country we keep in regular contact and support each other.

The new year meant a new placement. I shadowed the sound operator and spent time familiarising myself with the sound desk and practicing the headlines and promos with the director using an old recording from a previous news bulletin. This included switching from the network sound effects to our regional programme bed, ensuring the transition is smooth and in time - I’m now fixated with this when I’m watching television at home!

I love working in News because you just don’t know what’s going to happen next – like finding myself in Number 10 Downing Street in the middle of January sound assisting for a ��̳ Breakfast live interview with Boris Johnson. We travelled down the day before and spent the evening rigging and testing the equipment. I learnt so much on this OB because the team took time to train me. Even though it was a pressurised situation, I took note of how calm they all were. I set up the two lapel microphones for Dan Walker, the presenter and two for the Prime Minister, for back up in case one went down. I helped rig the wired microphones on to the interview seats by running an XLR cable from the sound desk. I also back-watched for the camera operator to make sure he didn’t fall over and cable bashed for him during the live programme. The highlight of the OB has to be meeting the man himself - Larry, the cat! It was also a bit surreal being allowed to walk up the famous staircase with all the portraits of past prime ministers – I noticed Theresa May’s portrait wasn’t on the wall yet. All in all, an amazing experience.

On Brexit day, January 31st, the assistant editor put me on rota to sound assist for the OB in Lancaster for North West Tonight. My first job of the day was to set up the radio frequency antennas for the microphones packs and to sync each pack with the hired Ofcom frequency. My next task was setting up the ring talkback for the camera crew by placing the Canford loudspeaker station and powerbox into the broadcast satellite truck (Vsat) allowing the director to speak to the crew. It was freezing, dark and miserably wet but I had a great day!

At the beginning of February, an unexpected opportunity arose when I was shadowing the LAV operator on Breakfast. There was an issue with Camera 2’s focus limit under the Shokotu (robotic camera) control during the ��̳ Breakfast live programme and the LAV operator had to put it into manual mode. I plucked up the courage to ask if I could take the role of Camera 2 operator in the studio and he agreed. I remembered everything I had been taught so far: I made sure the camera was fully focused by zooming into the presenter’s eyes and out again; I then framed the shots so there would be the correct amount of headroom and looking room. Surprisingly, I wasn’t at all nervous and the team were really pleased because they were able to get all the shots they wanted for the programme. Later that week, I volunteered at the ��̳ Academy stall at a Stem event at Manchester University. I was part of a team that included two of the tutors from Wood Norton training centre and three Engineering trainees. We talked to school groups about our training with the ��̳ and showed them how to operate some studio equipment. It was a fun day.

The next week I shadowed the North West edit team learning the basic skills, such as, fast reviewing rushes and blurring out car registration plates. I was very pleased to see my first edited clip played out on our regional segment during ��̳ Breakfast. I was also put on my first rota shifts as Sound Floor on ��̳ Breakfast. I had practice runs for the first 3 days of the week and then I worked independently on the Thursday and Friday. I followed the running order closely for the programme duration as I was responsible for mic-ing up the guests and making sure they were relaxed and ready to go on in time. I let the sound supervisor know which microphone each guest was on so he’d know which channel to fade up on the sound desk. I quickly changed one of the guests’ microphones after the gallery informed me of cable interference just minutes before we were due on air. And I’m glad to say that I managed to remain calm when one of the high profile guests of that week arrived very late and I’d only a minute to mic him up.

Covid 19 and lockdown meant I was unable to be in the office for a number of weeks but I used the time to complete college work at home. I was able to return the first week in June to shadow the floor manager on Breakfast so I could cover any last minute shifts if a colleague fell sick. I also shadowed studio cameras on Breakfast. My training was focused on operating the jib camera for the programmes opening and closing shots. The camera operator allowed me to operate live on air and I was able to do the eight o’clock headline shots during the second week.

I was given my first two solo shifts covering illness as Floor Manager for Breakfast in July. I got to know the presenters who were on that week better; Naga, Dan and Charlie were very supportive and I enjoyed the studio banter and the welcoming atmosphere of all the team. I’m glad to report that all went smoothly – well, apart from nearly spilling hot coffee over Naga (she was very gracious about it). And then there was the issue of the broken printers on both mornings! I had to find a slot in the running order to allow sufficient time for repairs. Outwardly, I was perfectly calm but internally, the recurrent image of the IT man going out live was flashing in front of me – that could have been my ruination before I even got started! Other than those minor hiccups (ahem), I thoroughly enjoyed keeping the studio organised and prioritising the various jobs such as printing out regular scripts, assisting the camera operator with moving camera 5 and hunting for the all important biscuits, of course. Hopefully, I’ll get to cover more shifts soon so I can develop my confidence when counting the presenters in and when I’m speaking to the gallery. More experience will also mean I won’t be knocked off kilter when there are changes, for instance, where did Sean, the business presenter come from? Due to Covid 19 restrictions, he hadn’t been in the studio when I was doing my training. Afterwards, I posted about my morning on Twitter. It received a lot of attention after Naga and Dan both made supportive comments and ��̳’s Political Editor, Laura Kuenssberg sent me a personal congratulatory message! Sorry, Larry the cat but that has to be the highlight of my year!

My first solo shift working on Newswire and floor managing North West Tonight happened in July. I set up my first down-the-line interview with Gabby Logan for the Breakfast production team. This meant routing the vision and audio on the BNCS panel to a voiceover booth so the journalist could interview the guest via video call in accordance with COVID distancing rules. I also had the opportunity to shadow the ��̳ Sports gallery team on a Match of the Day submix.

It’s August and I’m nearly a year into my apprenticeship despite challenging times. I’ve two weeks of online college work from home now instead of studying with the rest of my cohort in London. I appreciate the opportunities I get with the ��̳ more than ever now given the current unemployment forecasts for people my age. I’m so glad I applied for this apprenticeship and I consider myself very lucky indeed to be training for an exciting, interesting and worthwhile job.

Working under quarantine as a ��̳ Production Apprentice - Aimeé Collett

2020-05-12T15:08:12+00:00

Over the first six months of my apprenticeship, I have been very lucky and have been given the opportunity to work in production roles on some amazing ��̳ shows including Sports Personality of the Year, Football Focus and Final Score, A Question of Sport and also the Festival of Remembrance and the Holocaust Memorial Day with ��̳ Studios. I was also looking forward to working on some live events during this amazing summer of sport which would have seen the Olympics taking centre stage but, like many other people, this is not now the case.

How has your role as a ��̳ Sport Scheduler and an apprentice changed recently?

I am, like most people in the UK, working from home, and am still working as a ��̳ Sport Scheduler, but the way I am working has changed slightly. I would normally put together the rotas four to six weeks in advance but as the situation is constantly changing, the rotas are being done on a one to two week basis. I can do my role quite easily from home but it is very strange not being in the office having chats to people throughout the day.

As an apprentice I have to do college work which is provided by All Spring Media. As I am no longer able to attend the college in person, webinars are being organised for us on a weekly basis where guest speakers from the media industry talk to us about their experiences, which has been really interesting. All Spring Media train apprentices from various other sectors and I have met some new people on the webinars that I wouldn’t have met if we weren’t in lockdown. I am currently working with two sport apprentices from IMG on a college project so it has been great getting to know them and finding out what they do on their apprenticeships.

How are you coping working from home?

I’m actually finding working from home ok as I worked from home for a few years in my previous job as an environmental consultant. It’s just a bit weird not being able to go out to the gym or to see family and friends at the end of the day. I am currently at home on my own so the many zoom calls I am having are really great as I can speak to people regularly.

I have a daily call with my Scheduling Team and regular calls with the two teams that I support. I also have regular calls with the apprentice scheme leaders and the other apprentices, which is great. As I am based in Salford and many of them are based in London I am actually seeing more of them than I normally would. I recently celebrated my Birthday in lockdown and I had a social zoom call with them which was great. We had a quiz and they all sang Happy Birthday to me. In the evening I clapped for our Key Workers and watched the Big Night In, so although I was at home on my own it turned out to be quite a good day!

When I was working in the office in Salford I had a two hour commute from Leeds so I was getting up very early and getting home late in the evening. It’s been great having more time at home for it has given me more time to get back into my photography and for running.

What is your top tip to get through the days in quarantine?

While I have been at home I have been listening to a lot of Radio 2 as it helps to feel connected to the outside world. I’ve also been watching some box sets…a lot of them actually on the iPlayer (I’m not just saying that as I work for the ��̳…I don’t have Netflix or Amazon Prime so I genuinely am watching the iPlayer)!

What is it like to be working for ��̳ Sport with no live sport going on at the moment?

As there is no live sport to watch I have been listening to the new ‘A Question of Sport’ podcast which has been great. I have also been watching some of the virtual sporting events online such as the recent virtual Tour de Suisse cycling race and the virtual Grand National. Although there isn’t any live sport going on, there are a lot of sports news stories to keep up with.

Although I am at home on my own I still feel well connected to people and what is going on in the wider ��̳. The regular ��̳ Sports News and the ��̳ Stay Connected calls have been great for this. I have also enjoyed the zoom quizzes that have been put on by the various sports teams.

Final thoughts…

I actually feel like I have adapted to working from home quite well and although I am at home on my own I still feel well connected to people and what is going on in the wider ��̳. The regular ��̳ Sports News and the ��̳ Stay Connected calls have been great for this. I have also enjoyed the zoom quizzes that have been put on by the various sports teams.

Although the next few months of my apprenticeship will be different to what I was expecting at the start, I am grateful to still be able to work, and the most important thing is that everyone is safe and well and that we all help each other through the next few months. I feel very proud to be working for the ��̳, especially now, as they are doing such a great job during this crisis.

An Interview with HR Apprentice, Rebecca Dawes

2020-02-18T12:06:09+00:00

Tell us a bit about yourself

After finishing my A levels at college I decided I wanted to go straight into work rather than attend university, I wanted to start a career in HR but found it difficult to find a HR apprenticeship offering a CIPD qualification. I tried out a couple of roles in recruitment over the next year but decided that I still wanted to pursue HR, I then came across the HR apprenticeship at the ��̳ which also offered me the chance to gain a CIPD qualification, so I applied straight away and was fortunately selected for this opportunity.

As an HR Apprentice, what does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day for me depends upon which team I am working in, this changes around every 3 months for me and each team is very different. For the first 3 months of my apprenticeship I was working in the Support at Work team, a typical day here would involve; note taking, transcribing, indexing documents for hearings and a variety of other tasks relating to the grievance processes. In this team I would often travel to other base locations e.g. London to attend hearings in the role of a note taker, this is a great way to gain first hand insight into the grievance process and get to see the other ��̳ base locations. While in this team I also attended a variety of events including a mediation seminar and a mock tribunal.

I am currently working in the HR Helpdesk team, my main duties in this team includes answering phone calls and resolving cases. This is a great team to be in if you want to build up your knowledge of the processes and systems used in HR. On a daily basis I answer calls from employees with HR related queries, these queries can be regarding a number of HR related issues so each day is always different, as well as answering calls I also have cases to investigate and find solutions to employee issues.

What do you think is the advantage of doing an apprenticeship?

There are a number of advantages of doing an apprenticeship. One of these includes getting a qualification while gaining invaluable experience in the workplace, experience is really valuable to employers because it demonstrates you have built a range of skills in the workplace while also gaining the knowledge behind it. An apprenticeship also gives you a great work life balance with 20% of your hours dedicated to off the job learning.

What would your advice be to people applying?

My advice to anyone applying to the position is to be yourself, the ��̳ value a great attitude and a unique point of view that you can bring into the role. When you are applying to the role try to include attributes that will make you stand out from the rest e.g. related experiences, a varied skill set or a particular passion that you may have.

What do you think is the best thing about working for the ��̳?

The ��̳ is a great organisation to work for because they offer you the opportunity for progression and encourage you to develop yourself and your career, there is a great working culture at the ��̳ and the staff I have met are always friendly and willing to help out with any queries I have. Working as an apprentice in HR at the ��̳ allows you to move around a number of the HR teams during your apprenticeship so you gain a vast array of knowledge and skills in a range of interesting areas.

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