Broadcast Operator Apprentice Review

My Job Title is Broadcast Operator Apprentice, at the moment my role is based mainly on the BBC Look East Technical Hub. This is the station where journalists hand over SD cards and rushes to be ingested onto the server to later be edited and used in the program. I also shadow the news team in the gallery when the lunch and evening news bulletins are broadcast.

Yes, plenty. The main skill development I can refer to is my skills in the sound department of a broadcast team. Having been here for only a month I have been the sound operator twice on news bulletins. My technical knowledge has also improved ten-fold from being stationed on the media hub. My problem solving and quick thinking skills are tested on a day to day basis and I'm getting far better at thinking the problems through to find the best technical solution.

I am enjoying my time at the BBC and in this apprenticeship massively. I look forward to coming into work and learning new things. The company treat me as if I were any other member of staff and promote good messages through every part of the working day. Every day my expectations of my apprenticeship are being exceeded with challenges and very fun days of tasks to complete. My colleagues are fun and all seem keen to teach me skills that I'll need later in my career.

From day one as a BBC apprentice I have felt as valued as any other BBC employee. The company appear to really, really, care about their apprenticeships as we are repeatedly being told that after this 2 year placement and college course they want us to apply for jobs within the company. I get smiles and questions from people in the office and regular positive and constructive comments from my placement manager, reminding me that people very much care about my progress within the company.

The placement side of the programme/apprenticeship is structured very well, I was placed in a basic role to begin with and was coached up at a pace that suited me and feel I'm progressing very well. However, the college side of the apprenticeship began with what seemed like no structure at all. Having said that, we complained as a cohort and spoke to the people in charge at the college and there was a significant improvement since then. I feel supported in my apprenticeship and know who to report to with issues or just general questions and I am not afraid to do so.

Early on in our college course (as stated in the question above) there was a lack of organisation which led to our cohort feeling like they had a huge lack of support from the college particularly when we were finding things hard. This improved as time went on a the college. Our course leaders within the BBC will stop at nothing to help us, they regularly check up and encourage us to keep in contact with any news, good or bad, to do with our apprenticeship. I feel like I can always rely on them for support with any aspect of the course.

I receive a lot of support from my employer, I also receive plenty of support from my placement managers. We have regular meetings to discuss how I'm feeling about my apprenticeship and if there's anything I'd like to change or improve on. I have already started being placed on the work rota as a technical hub one position after speaking to my manager and making him aware that I would be comfortable in that role.

My salary as a BBC apprentice meets my needs very nicely. Having to have relocated seemed like it would cause an issue with money but it has turned out to be no problem at all. I can afford my rent and travel costs as well as food and everything needed to get by. However, if I were to have an issue with money I know exactly where I could go to organise an advance payment or help with finances within the BBC. This was all made very clear to us during our first week at the BBC.

There's many opportunities to get involved in outside of the workplace. I have received many emails relating to fundraisers and other group BBC activities that the company seem keen to get apprenticeships involved in. I have also been told about my eligibility to join the RTS (Royal Television Society). In the city or Norwich (where I have been located) there is plenty of activities for weekends and many,many live music and performance events.

Yes

Its an amazing opportunity to get involved in. It provides you with a wealth of knowledge, experience and opportunities in a variety of different aspects within broadcasting. Its also a tremendous amount of fun along the way!

Take your time with the application process, save and comeback to it and submit it with plenty of time. During the interview process be yourself and focus a large amount of your attention on the group interview assessment. The BBC value teamwork above most things and showing you can work well in a group and stand out with ideas, will put you in a good position to get hired.