Trainee Broadcast Engineer Review

Take part in multiple placements across BBC North, working in a variety of roles including software development, project engineer, project management, web development, operation engineering, technical support, product repair, and more. At the same time, take part in pfficial BBC broadcast engineer trainging at BBC Wood Norton, and complete a part time MSc from Birmingham City University.

Yes I have learnt a considerable number of new skills and developed many I already had. The roles mentioned in my previous answer (software development, project engineer, project management, web development, operation engineering, technical support, product repair, and more) formed the bulk of skills learnt/developed, however I also built on my soft skills such as communication, organisation, team-work, leadership, etc.

My programme has been a deeply enjoyable experience for many reasons. The level of knowledge and understanding I have gained is tremendously exciting, and this has made the scheme worthwhile and ultimately useful for my career. Part of our learning involved attending broadcast conferences such as IBC in Amsterdam which was a great experience. The people I have worked with throughout the programme have been eager to help and great fun.

The cohort of trainees are managed by our scheme coordinators who organise our placements, BBC training, and liase with the staff at Birmingham City University to arrange our university timetable. We are now nearing the end of our course and have all found the experience to be worthwhile, but at times the scheme appeared to be disorganised and a lack of communication frequently occurred between different parties.

The coordinators, placement managers, and generally all the staff at the BBC have been outstanding in their support. Everyone has appeared to profoundly care about the wellbeing of the trainees and has seemed to honest wish them the very best and be prepared to help them get to their goal.

Staff at Birmingham City University have proved to be elusive and vague at times when they are asked for information regarding course details, content, or organisation. However, during lectures they have been informative and (for the most part) engaging, and they have been receptive to feedback from the cohort regarding teaching style.

Through the trainee scheme, we have gained a master's degree in Broadcast Engineering. This master's degree built upon the knowledge from my undergraduate and my previous experience in the broadcast industry. My postgraduate dissertation gave me expertise in my chosen topic, and gave me new skills fundamental to the future of broadcast, namely IP networking, cloud computing, and Software Defined Networking knowledge.

The teams I have been placed with have been very welcoming of trainees. They have frequently ensured we are invited to and enjoy social events. The BBC offers infrequent special events which include talks and workshops, as well as networking events. Myself and other trainees have organised and enjoy sporting activities together informally.

Yes

Despite the size and leviathan nature of the BBC, the teams I have worked with have felt intimate and personable. The people are exceptionally supportive and really seem to enjoy watching and helping trainees and apprentices excel and progress in their careers. The knowledge present within the organisation is so vats and all-encompassing, it's amazing to be immersed within it.

For this trainee ship, the BBC is not looking for candidates who have had an extensive amount of knowledge or experience within broadcast. They expect a degree in a relevant technical discipline (for example, my undergraduate degree was Media Technology), and are looking for individuals who are enthusiastic, eager to learn, and who embody a positive attitude.