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Work Experience: Avez Ahmed on working with the BBC Academy, and how it helped to shape his future aspirations

2017-07-26T13:24:13+00:00

Before getting work experience at the BBC Academy I was looking for full-time work. Due to my lack of experience, I was being turned down fairly often and thought that if I got some work experience at different organisations I might become more employable.

Despite having a passion for media, having written scripts, articles and even made a few short videos, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would get work experience at the BBC. But I was recommended via by my local Job Centre, applied online and here I am!

In the application I wrote as honestly as I could about my passion for media and was offered place with the BBC Academy in Birmingham. The New Talent Team recruit entry level employees and despite having only ten days of work experience, those ten days were memorable and I did a lot, much more than your average work experience placement. I learned that you’ve got to have a lot enthusiasm, flexibility and determination with a good work ethic. I was surprised to see that at the BBC new ideas are constantly being considered, thrown out and revised.

At a MediaCityUK #bbcgetin event

I had the pleasure of taking part in Get In events; these events catered mainly for school leavers and university graduates with the aim of interesting them in the BBC trainee schemes and apprenticeships. I participated in three of these, and one took me to Media City UK in Salford. This was the first time I had ever been out of Birmingham, and so it was a memorable day for me! I spent some time with one of the Academy’s online digital content producers and even had the opportunity to write three articles which were given constructive criticism as to how I could improve my writing.

I also learned how to transfer videos internally across the BBC. There is definitely a strong hands-on approach when working at the BBC Academy - you don’t just make the tea. I also worked on a database using MS Excel and was taught how subtitle videos.

With all this experience under my belt and with a much better understanding as to how the BBC Academy works, I will be more the than likely applying for the Production Apprentice Scheme. Thank you very much for the opportunity BBC Academy!

Production Apprentice: David Winfield on his developing confidence, communication skills, and cold fingers.

2017-05-12T10:09:38+00:00

I can’t write a blog. No seriously I can’t. I’m standing on the South Bank, it’s 16 February, I’m freezing my socks off… and I’m on the set of Red Nose Day Actually. So dear reader, I will try to relay insight into this exciting experience but my fingers are cold, and- ACTION!

Production Slate - Red Nose Day Actually

OK so I’m not actually on set right at this minute, but I was - and I feel I should take the time out to give you a real, honest, overall picture into what being a BBC apprentice really means - ironic, seeing as I work in radio.

I want to talk about people and opportunities. You can’t possibly get more than you do inside the BBC. It’s not that I’ve been handed everybody on a plate, I’ve had to go out and find producers, script editors, researchers etc. But being a BBC apprentice has given me such a confidence boost that I’ll quite happily introduce myself to people, or speak up in a production meeting.

For the first time, I’ve had the confidence in myself to submit a script to BBC Writers Room. Yes I had confidence before (my friends and family would probably say that’s an understatement) but now I have the confidence to approach those big BBC people that you’ve heard of before but never dreamed of having coffee with!

Recently, I met with a story producer from a long-running BBC series to discuss working in a story department; in particular script editing and story-lining - something I’m really interested in.

Now in all honesty, this guy is a hundred miles away from radio drama and I came across him on Twitter. So I did a bit of Googling and found he’d worked as a junior storyliner, storyliner, story editor, script editor and so on, basically all the jobs in a CDS (Continuing Drama Series) story department. Tip: if you're going to meet anyone, Google them first. Find out what they’ve worked on and in what capacity, because honestly you can get so much out of the meeting if you really want to know about a particular role.

So, I emailed this guy and he agreed to meet with me. It was one of the best conversations of my career so far; he wasn’t just telling me everything I wanted to know, but he was telling me everything he knew that could help me in my career, however big or small. One of my favourite things about this industry is the camaraderie between people: how they want to help you and give you advice. You have to show you’re willing to take the initiative and, if people see that, they’ll do everything they can to help you succeed.

That’s what I’ll take most out of this year, the BBC has prepared me to work in the industry and work with the people. Yes my average day consists of script reading, researching, casting - all those really fun and exciting things. But you’ve got to do more, talk to people outside what you’re currently doing.

I know long-term I want to work in both television and audio drama in some kind of writer or script editor role. I can only do that if I continue what I’m doing now, meeting new people and networking! If people see your passion, your commitment and your resilience they’ll want to work with you just as much as you want to work with them, they’ll want to help you succeed so the amazing programming making that we have now will continue long into the future.

You’re the future of the BBC, of the industry, and everyone wants it to be amazing.

You will make it amazing.

Production Apprentice: Bridget Norman shares her experience working with BBC Radio 4

2017-04-14T10:23:08+00:00

For the last six months I've been working on Saturday Live, BBC Radio 4's Saturday morning show. It is a round table set up (four to five live guests in the studio) with individual interviews and informal chat between them. There are three pre-recorded items: a feature, a ‘Thank You’ slot and a celebrity’s 'Inheritance Tracks'.

I have been helping to find possible live guests, researching their potential, pitching them to my editor at our weekly ideas meeting and then writing briefs on the guests for our presenters. I help with the programme’s ‘Thank You' slot, too: this is where the team record listeners who get in touch with the programme to share their stories of people who did them a good turn but who they never had the chance to thank at the time. Some are so moving.

I suggest the Thank Yous that stand out from all the ones we receive, and then I may telephone the listener who has been agreed on to find out more about them before the recording. Sometimes I have a go at editing it ready for the programme. It has been a vertical learning curve but really exciting slowly taking on more responsibility in the team.

When writing a brief I've learned to make sure that I give the presenters accurate, interesting and succinct information. It's important because the show is ‘live’ so they need all their facts right before they go on air, unlike pre-recorded programmes there is no safety net. The brief should leave them curious to get as much as possible out of the guest they will be interviewing, but it must not take them too long to read quickly or they might miss key bits out.

Armed with a list of names that could be possible guests, I look into each one hoping to find any unusual hobbies or a personal story and then drop the ones that don't sound right for the programme. Saturday Live likes people who are fun, a bit eccentric and who have several ‘strings to their bow’.

For example, recently we had an architect on who had also twice been world air guitar champion (I know, who even knew there was one?) and a fly fisherman who helps conserve chalk streams and otters. Sometimes I discount people if they don't have enough hobbies, are a bit too worthy, or I can't find a personal angle for them – although there are exceptions. Before suggesting someone I firstly check if they are still available, whether they've been on the show before, and ensure I can sum up in one sentence for my editor why they would be a good guest.

Everyone at the BBC has been really friendly and welcoming, from the security guards - who I'm on first name terms with now - to my colleagues who have been here sometimes longer than I have been alive, but who still treat me as an equal. To me the BBC is like a lioness, slow to trust outsiders but once you are working there it protects you like one of its own.

It is strange how quickly you settle into a daily routine and forget that whilst you may just be ‘going to the office’, that office is in the massively respected institution that is the BBC. Being on one placement for so long has really let me get under the skin of the programme and work at tailoring my ideas to ones that answer the programme's central question of, is it fun? It has let me ease my way into the world of work, which is a big change from sitting A-levels at school, but just like exams you get out of work what you put in. It feels great being measured against the standards of those with more experience, giving me a benchmark to aim for and shows that the team value me and think me capable of improvement.

Speaking up in meetings was very difficult at first, but positive and encouraging feedback from my editor and producers has helped a lot with my self-confidence. My colleagues couldn't have been more supportive and as long as you know what you are asking for or need help with, people are only too happy to oblige.

So far this year I have both gained skills and developed as a person and learned how better to play to my strengths. In fact I have learned as much about myself as I have about the media industry, if not more! I won't pretend that there haven't been some extra challenges because of my disability. I am blind so, for example, I cannot see people's facial expressions which can be a barrier to starting conversations. I use speech assisted software which reads the screen to me, so I am nearly always wearing headphones. This means that people don't always think they can interrupt me, even though I would be only too happy to talk as I do enjoy a good chat.

As a result I am slowly learning to become more outgoing in order to build good working relationships. Rather than waiting 20 years or more to share my Thank You I will say it now, ‘Thank you BBC for letting me do this and here’s to the next few months being just as amazing.’

Production Trainee: Alia Cassam on why she applied for the Production Trainee Scheme.

2017-03-23T13:06:24+00:00

I remember sitting in my PTS (production trainee scheme) interview, and being asked to talk about the last few years of my experience since graduating from university. I blinked, took a deep breath, and said: “I took the scenic route.”

My path to the PTS was certainly unusual, and not one I could have ever have imagined. But a love of language, people, and the human voice, has led me into a new world of possibilities in radio production at the BBC.

I had grown up listening to BBC radio and it has always been a part of my life. During my Theatre Studies MA at Leeds University, I produced a radio play based on a George Orwell novel, and I loved making it. For some reason it never occurred to me to work in radio. Perhaps I thought it would be too tough to break into. Ironically, it was catastrophe rather than success that opened new doors for me.

Just a year after graduating, I developed a condition called M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). This came as a complete shock – my hopes of a career dwindled, and while I’d made some improvements in my health, I remained significantly affected by the condition. Then in 2013, I experienced a massive relapse. It was one of the most difficult years yet, and I struggled to know how to make sense of things.

Later that year, I went to the Forward Poetry Prize readings at London’s Southbank Centre. I’d always been a poetry lover, and sitting in the auditorium, my head in a dizzying fog, I heard some words that seemed to make sense. Jeannette Winterson, the chair of the prize, spoke with passion about Seamus Heaney and his belief that “poetry should be strong enough to help”. In a time of desolation, these words felt truthful. And I wasn’t going to argue with Seamus Heaney.

A few months later, I received an email from the arts organisation Poet in the City. They were looking for new volunteers, and I decided to join. At the first meeting, I discovered they had a vibrant audio team and I mentioned that I’d once made a radio play, and that I’d love to develop my skills. I soon began interviewing guest speakers and editing recordings with poets, and I initiated and produced the organisation’s podcast. Inspired by the BBC broadcasts I’d listen to at home, I wanted to see if I could make my own programmes too.

With the support and encouragement of colleagues, it was suggested that I approach the BBC. Initially I was sceptical, but sure enough I saw that the Corporation had a disability hub and a scheme called Extend. I watched the online Extend video and read blogs by disabled staff. Feeling heartened, I made my application.

The PTS application process was rigorous, but I felt continually challenged and invigorated: I was being asked to think in new ways, develop myself, and really consider who I was and what I was about. At the hotel room in Birmingham for my final interview, I remember staring at a printout of an article I’d found on the BBC Get Creative website, which I'd kept near my suitcase. It said: “Can poetry really change your life?” I really hoped, and believed, that it could. And it has.

Now three months into the PTS scheme, and I’m working at the BBC’s Radio Documentaries Unit, the largest in the world. It's a privilege to be here, learning from the very best in the field, and gaining skills in research and journalism, recording, and how to construct complex documentary stories. I’m part of a team making work that is truthful and intelligent, surprising and joyful. Broadcasts, which in our confused and troubled times, are strong enough to help.

Production apprentice: Alex Owen on his time at the Archers

2017-01-23T01:28:09+00:00

For the past couple of months I have been working on The Archers and BBC WM. During my time I have learned an awful lot about the BBC, how it works, how to communicate with people and the technical aspects of the job.

On The Archers I have been working as a spot effect assistant/assistant studio manager. This means helping out in the studio and working with the actors to create background sound effects. I'm also responsible for keeping the studio safe, taking care of health and safety.

During my day to day activities I read through scripts, make notes on the setting and how the sounds will play out within scenes. Here's an example:

"The scene is a village shop and some characters are stacking shelves, others are shopping and people are having a general good chat.”

For this scene I would ask the director and studio manager about mic position. (It's always helpful to have good communication between you and the directors.) Then I'd place the scene around the microphone. The shelves would most likely be a wooden box on its side and I will have a script in front of me while I follow the actors' lines.

I'll be the one stacking shelves which gives the illusion that it's the characters doing it. The actors don't tend to perform actual tasks as they are holding scripts. So I have to be mindful of loose wires, broken props and everyone's spacial awareness to make sure the scene plays out smoothly with no trips, falls or bumps.

When I'm not on The Archers I'm working at BBC WM. I had an amazing experience desk-driving the Sunny and Shay show when they were on an outside broadcast. I was expected to use the desk, control the mics and keep the timings. It filled me with a lot of confidence knowing that the BBC can trust me with these responsibilities and I hope that I will have a lot more in the future.

One of the BBC’s values is being “One BBC” and I really feel this is true. I have felt very welcomed into the organisation and I'm very much looking forward to greater opportunities in the year ahead.

Production apprentice: James Payton on his first weeks working at BBC Radio

2017-01-18T11:26:48+00:00

Faders and switches, presenters and countless cups of coffee (often decaf because I cannot handle the buzz). What a ride this has been so far, and a very enjoyable one. I’ve gone from marching to the beat of left right, left right in the military to working at the biggest broadcasting corporation in the world.

If you are reading this, and you are thinking of joining us, then do not hesitate for one minute. I can promise it will be the best thing that you ever decided to do, and worth every moment that you contribute.

I started working for the BBC on 26 September 2016. I'd styled my hair to the best of my ability (yet I can guarantee a llama would pull off a better hair style than me). I put on my best suit, polished my shoes and headed for the Mailbox in Birmingham.

It was a fantastic day meeting my new colleagues, learning stuff about the corporation and what would be happening on my scheme, about BBC values and various other things. I also got to experience the great foods of Birmingham - a £3 meal deal from Tesco. Every little helps, eh?

For this position, I braved the 50mph zones on the M6 and moved north from a small town called Redditch to Manchester. Leaving home was nothing new. Before the BBC I served in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy. But it was nice to live in a new home this time instead of a small university style box room, with a cramped en suite, loud neighbours and the distant echo of the firing ranges. I work at MediaCityUK and I am part of an excellent team.

Media City UK at sunset

I work predominantly on BBC Radio Four's You and Yours with the wonderful Winifred Robinson. I always compliment Winifred on her show and tell her how much I love listening to her present, but she thinks I say it to every presenter! If only she knew I don’t...

In my time so far, I have learned so much about engineering sound. We use some great software to edit packages that become part of a story on a radio show. I’ve spent a good amount of time working the desks, too (the audio desk that is), which is an excellent experience.

I am already really looking forward to working on the live programmes, and being the actual studio manager for a show. I think when I'm doing live shows, I will probably drop the decaff coffee, and move on to the real stuff! You've got to remain focused when you have that kind of responsibility.

What I've certainly learned - taking the audio part aside - is how closely you work with each other. Teamwork is a big part of all of this and if you end up working here, you’ll understand how crucial it is. For example, in a studio, a presenter isn’t a presenter without a studio manager. Studio managers can’t do their role if the production team aren’t there to come up with ideas. You get the idea.

It has been excellent to see how much everyone collaborates. It is an amazing feeling when things go as planned because you get a real sense of achievement.

The days can be really busy sometimes, which is great. You’re always on your feet, you have to think proactively about what is coming up next because having a radio-based role, there is no time for after thought, especially on a live show.

I am still in the early days of my time at the BBC, but I have never been so proud about working for a company before. I absolutely love my role. Every day is challenging, fun and interesting and I cannot wait to see how much more I develop over the coming year. Exciting times ahead. So go on, get stuck in! It’s the best decision you’ll ever make.