Apprentice Broadcast Engineer Review

This role involves a mix of university and placements with the program lasting 3yrs for you to complete a full BEng in Broadcast & Communications Engineering at Birmingham City University. Each year is spent as a mixture of university and placement time with around 11weeks of university with the remaining time spent on placement. The placements are spread throughout the BBC and various partners. On a day to day basis you will find yourself assisting in the maintenance and setup of broadcast critical systems.

This degree apprenticeship will result in you gaining a BEng in Broadcast & Communications engineering from Birmingham City University. In addition to this, you will receive informal on the job training whilst on placement from your co-workers and supervisors. The BBC will also provide you with specific internal and external training courses that focus on safe and efficient working as a broadcast engineer.

The program is incredibly enjoyable with an interesting and slightly different university experience to the average student. The placement portions involve working within the industry on real-world projects which is very rewarding. I have always been made to feel welcome within the company and within the team that I am working with. The scheme has exceeded my expectations and allowed me to meet a great group of people.

I feel valued as a member of the BBC and have always received interest and appreciation from both my managers and colleagues. Tasks I have completed on placement have always been appraised fairly and with the necessary appreciation and gratitude shown. The BBC is also very encouraging of scheme members receiving external recognition from industry bodies and at awards ceremonies.

The program is managed by a fantastic team of people who keep the complex job of scheduling both our training and placements running smoothly. Despite being a very large logistical challenge they are always there to offer support and will listen to your needs and the needs of your colleagues on the scheme. I cannot commend them enough for their efforts.

We receive a good amount of support from Birmingham City University and from the module leader there. The BBC is keen to work in conjunction with the uni so will always ensure that we receive the support we need. As a large amount of our time is spent remote from uni, they are usually quite good at answering queries via email and will give you support in person if necessary.

The BBC are highly supportive of us and work well in conjunction with the uni to ensure we receive the support that we need. The management team is very supportive of us both individually and as a cohort. Guidance and support from them can always be gained quickly and with ease.

The salary and benefits package is adequate to meet our needs. One of the largest factors in this is the ability to claim expenses whilst at university as this cuts personal food costs substantially. This very much offsets any living or travel costs that you will incur whilst on placement. If you are based in London then you may not be able to afford central London accommodation but, that is mainly due to the price of London and not to do with the scheme.

As a full employee of the BBC you are welcome and entitled to take part in any and all company events/schemes or clubs that you wish. This can sometimes be difficult for apprentices due to the fragmented nature of our work and busy lifestyle but, it is great to know that the option is there.

Yes

It is a fantastic opportunity that will set you up for life with a job, amazing experiences and salary at a young age. I would not hesitate to recommend this scheme to anyone with an interest and passion in Broadcast Engineering. The sheer amount of real-world experience that you receive on this scheme is second to none.

Ensure that you research the broadcast industry and broadcast technology before your assessment day. Make sure to prepare whatever the BBC ask of you and make sure to show your enthusiasm and passion for broadcast technology at the interview.