Radio assistant producer / producer Review

When we are training, we are based in Elstree studios where we learn the theory side of the media industry - learning about how the system is set up and about job roles and about programme development and heath & safety. When we are on placements, (mine is in the documentaries department at BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra), my daily tasks include developing ideas for programmes, writing billings, researching my own programmes, booking and interviewing contributors using studios and portable recording kit, social media work, editing, mixing programmes, writing scripts for presenters, making sure presenters get paid. I am responsible for writing verbals for existing programmes and sending them out to show teams, genealogy, music reporting, taking notes at our team meetings as well as producing my own programmes. I am currently working across a few projects, one is a 60 minute documentary about the future of R&B music, another doc about The Sharing Generation (both I pitched and got commissioned myself). I also take an assistant producer role on a few other projects, including a doc about Pharrell Williams which I have been sourcing archive material for, and a doc about electronic music in Glasgow, which I have been logging audio collected.

Since starting the apprenticeship, I have developed my editing and research skills and have learnt to use new software, including the VCS system and Sadie editing program.

I am really enjoying my apprenticeship, my placements so far have been better than I could have imagined, I have worked with lots of interesting people and learnt lots so far. As an apprentice I feel like I am able to bring a unique perspective to the teams I work with, as I don't come from the same background as most of the people who already work at the BBC.

I feel valued by the BBC, I feel that they are interested in my opinions as a young person and most people I have worked with so far have been very happy to help and teach me. I have also had freedom to contribute to my teams, with 2 of my own docs commissioned.

The organisation of the training is the only thing that has caused me stress since I have been here. I have often felt torn between what to commit to as I love working but appreciate I need to get the college work done as well. I feel like there is not a lot of communication between all the people that are in charge of me in the various strains of the programme, for example training weeks aren't flagged up to my line managers at my placement, making it slightly more difficult to leave work. The induction was good, the initial training was valuable to begin with but I think 5 weeks in Elstree was too much as I found the training becoming extremely repetitive and I was eager to start work.

I don't like the classroom style of learning, and I think in a way it conflicts with the ethos of the apprenticeship - which aims to take on young people from all walks of life who might not have done so well in school. At the beginning of the scheme, I did feel really supported by my tutors, but that has faded out a lot, and these days I find it really difficult to get any support with the academic side of the apprenticeship.

I receive a lot of support from my team in the workplace, I feel comfortable asking for help and my team are happy to answer my questions. The HR team have been really accommodating and friendly, and my mentor is really busy but I know she's always there for me when I need her. The only small tiny issue is that my team can be slightly patronising at times, because I am a lot younger than them.

just about

I have done some extra stuff, I was a runner on Children in Need taking messages from the call centre to Radio 2 I was a runner for the radio visualisation team at the 6Music Festival in Manchester

Yes

If I thought they could handle it and would work hard and had the right drive and ambition. You need to be focused but I think now is a good time to try and join because they are becoming more open minded to diversity.

Say yes to every opportunity, try and find out what you want / where you want to be as soon as you can. Try things out. And value yourself and what you have already achieved on your own when you go into the interview, but be modest. Also don't ever stop doing things independently outside of work (if this is what you love to do)