Production Trainee Review

I was on the BBC's production trainee scheme last year, based in London. I got the opportunity to work on a range of BBC programmes, learning how how TV and radio shows are produced in a busy, professional environment. While a lot of the time I felt like I was stuck in the background, I appreciate that this was because I was only a trainee and therefore learning what to do. I was asked for my opinions on certain aspects of the production process a few times, which was nice.

I have improved my organisational skills a lot - working in TV and radio production requires a lot of multi-tasking, so keeping track of everything that was going on was vital. I also developed my communication skills, as I was part of a large and busy team, where effective and clear communication was key to the production going smoothly.

I enjoyed it for the most part. It was certainly eye-opening and gave me a real insight into what working in a production role might be like. I definitely enjoyed it a lot more as the programme went on and I felt more experienced - at first, it was very daunting and I really didn't feel like I knew what I was doing, but by the end I felt confident enough to voice my opinions.

I felt lucky to get onto the scheme, but since finishing it I've felt a little let down. Everyone I worked with was very friendly, but there hasn't really been much communication with them now the scheme is over. I know job offers aren't guaranteed after the programme, but it would have been nice to know that they remembered that I'd been there!

Very well! I got to work on a range of different programmes so I got to experience a decent mixture of styles and genres, and I felt that the time I spent on each placement was fairly even. On some of the busier days it was a bit harder to work out exactly what I needed to do, but in general there was always someone I could ask if I needed help and the structure of what I was meant to be learning on each placement was clear.

A fair amount. They regularly checked in with me to see how I was getting on with each different placement, and they were very helpful and reassuring when I felt overwhelmed with the amount of new information at the start of the programme. It did sometimes feel a little disjointed, since I was moving around to different placements quite a lot, but in general I was happy with the support I got.

It varied from placement to placement. Some of them were very supportive and helpful, and there was always someone to show me what to do and answer any questions I had, but there were a few placements where I felt a little lost among all the busy goings-on.

Moderately well. The salary was decent, and it was good that they provided an extra allowance for those based in London - without it I probably would have struggled. I didn't feel like it was the sort of salary where I could make much in the way of savings, but I was able to get by without running too low on money.

Not as many as I'd hoped, to be honest. I know TV and film production is a very competitive industry, but I had expected that being trained by the BBC would give me an edge, especially when it came to applying for jobs with them. So far, I haven't had any luck, despite the positive feedback I received during and after the course.

Yes

The programme was intense, but definitely a great way to see if TV production is really for you. It's an extremely eye-opening and fascinating experience, and I got to do things that I didn't expect to be able to do before I started. The progress I got to see over the months was very gratifying too. The main downside is the lack of job opportunities at the end.

Don't get disheartened if you don't get accepted onto the course at first - it took me two tries to get on. When you do get accepted, be prepared to work hard for long hours each day. Don't expect an easy ride - it's something you really have to work for to get the best out of it. Make sure you listen to what everyone says and try to observe as much as possible, especially on busy placements when there aren't as many people to talk you through what's going on.