WORKING FOR THE BBC

Of all the training for jobs both creative and technical in film and television, the BBC’s is the oldest established and the most comprehensive.

Previously only for those accepted for employment, BBC’s Training and Development Centre at Wood Norton, Worcs at Elstree and at Marylebone, London are open to anyone who can pay. Telephone (0870) 1220216. Fax: (0870) 1220145. email: training@bbc.co.uk Website: www.bbctraining.co.uk

In the UK, the BBC is still the largest employer in television and its charter decrees that all vacancies open to external candidates have to be publicly advertised in national or local papers and trade publications with a summary on Ceefax Page 996.

But what this also means is that the applications for jobs in nearly all areas greatly outnumber the vacancies available. And with the increasing sub-contracting of programme production to independent companies, recruitment has changed, resulting in more short-term contracts.

Information

They publish full information about working in the BBC, the qualifications required, training provided and how to apply for vacancies.

So the first step if you want to work for the BBC is to study these in your chosen area, remembering that, in addition to the educational qualifications and any technical experience you may have, you must convince anyone you write to or see of your keenness and dedication.

The BBC is an equal opportunities employer and positively welcomes applications from under-represented groups. The BBC is also trying to encourage more flexible work patterns, job sharing and flexi-time for example.

Where to apply for the BBC

For further general information about working for the BBC, try the BBC interactive telephone Careers

Information Service, Voices, on (020) 8576 0639 or use the BBC World of Opportunity website at www.bbc.co.uk/jobs. Finally, you can subscribe to the BBC staff magazine Ariel, PO Box 324, Griffin House, Aylesbury, Bucks HP19 3BP, where vacancies are advertised.

When applying for jobs which you have seen advertised, you may have to contact the particular department concerned but this will be indicated in the advertisement.

BBC ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL OPERATIONS

The BBC has an international reputation for the quality of its programmes and much of this is due to its long standing commitment to maintaining and improving engineering and technical standards.

What are the various jobs and who are the people who operate and maintain the complex equipment used in television?

Engineers

These are the people who maintain studio equipment, such as vision mixers, camera channels and sound desks to ensure that the facilities are fully available for the programme makers.

They may be involved in the engineering aspects of video tape recording and film replay equipment. Engineers may also work with film equipment, with outside broadcasts and news and current affairs which include the coordination of satellite links and live inserts in news programmes.

Virtually all these different areas can be found in the BBC regions as well as in London.

Qualifications for entry

To join as a trainee engineer, you must be at least 18 and you’ll need GCSE grade A-C in English, Maths and Physics, and Maths and Physics to A level as well; an ordinary BTEC diploma in Electrical/Electronic Engineering will be considered as an alternative to A levels.

To join as a graduate engineer you require a degree in electrical or electronic engineering.

There is also a scheme for graduates in disciplines other than electronics who want to transfer to this field. There are other areas like Engineering Research and Design which employ engineers. Degree sponsorship and industrial training may also be available.

Technical Operators

These are the people who actually operate the television cameras, the sound equipment and film replay and videotape recording equipment.

As with engineers, they may work in London or the Regions and on the whole range of programmes.

Again, you must be at least 18 to start as a trainee and have normal hearing and colour vision.

A good standard of education is required, for example GCSE grade A-C (or the equivalent) in English, Maths and Physics but just as importantly, you must demonstrate a good general understanding of the area that interests you and a practical interest in associated topics such as hi-fi sound, tape recording, photography or music.

Sponsorship

The BBC now offers sponsorship, pre-university, industrial and vacation training for those people keen to develop a career in electronic engineering, project engineering or practical operational engineering. Sponsorship is usually for a maximum of three years and is for degree-level students in electronic engineering or similar. One-year preuniversity training which may lead to subsequent sponsorship is also available in some departments. Vacation training provides six weeks during the summer for students to gain practical work experience in the BBC. For further particulars contact: Careers Information Service Voices. Tel: (020) 8576 0639 or BBC World of Opportunity website at www.bbc.co.uk/jobs.

ITV AND INDEPENDENT COMPANIES

Training in ITV and independent companies is not as formalised as in the BBC for the simple reason that they operate in different parts of the country and are all different in size and complexity.

Many ITV companies do, however, run new entrant schemes. For example, Yorkshire TV takes a few people on a two-year graduate scheme and others take a very few on year-long placements. Some offer the chance to go on courses at colleges like Ravensbourne.

Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication

Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication is a National Centre of Excellence for Broadcasting. It offers a range of courses within the field of broadcasting at both further and higher education level.

The degree and foundation degree courses are as follows: an accelerated two-year BA (Hons) Content Creation and New Media; a two-year Foundation Degree (Arts) Broadcast Operations and Production; a two-year Foundation Degree (Arts) Broadcast Post Production; a two-year Foundation Degree (Science) Broadcast Media Technology, a two-year Foundation Degree (Arts) Creative Sound Design and a two-year Foundation Degree (Arts) Computer Visualisation and Animation. The five latter courses also feature an optional one-year top-up to turn them into full BA (Hons) Degrees, as with all the courses except the Broadcast Media Technology which will become a BSc (Hons).

Broadcasting is housed in a £5.6 million complex built in 1991 using advanced digital equipment as well as analogue. All practical work is carried out to broadcast standards.

It is also possible for full time students to obtain relevant attachments with a television or facilities company. Ravensbourne provides a very sound grounding for anyone interested in getting into television in any broad production, technical or engineering job. The fact that over the last few years 93% of their students have obtained employment speaks for itself.

For further particulars apply to: Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication, Walden Road, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5SN. Tel: (020) 8289 4900. Fax: (020) 8325 8320. email: info@rave.ac.uk Website: rave.ac.uk

WORKSHOPS

Workshops are small production units which work on a non-profit distributing basis. They may also be involved in distribution, education and exhibition of films and videos.

They generally undertake work of a radical nature addressed to particular audiences such as the young, women or black people.

Although not strictly acting as training grounds for technicians, people who have a particular interest in this Type of work could look out for lowly jobs in the hope of getting more closely involved in actual production at a later date.

By taking advantage of further training on a short course for example this could be one very commendable route to take.

You can find a list of workshops in the British Film Institute Film and Television Handbook (see Appendix).

NATIONALLY RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS FOR FILM AND TV

Apart from graduation from film school and the qualifications which apply to engineering and some technical jobs, actual proof of experience and competence , apart from a list of credits of productions on which you have worked, has never been possible to obtain by film and television technicians.

This has changed over recent years with the development of National Occupational Standards and qualifications based on them called National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications. These NVQs/SVQs (called SKILLSET Professional Qualifications) have been drawn up for broadcast, film, video and interactive media by SKILL-SET – the Sector Skills Council for the industry. There are standards for almost all occupations and qualifications for various levels in areas where it is appropriate or there is a demand. The qualifications are fast becoming the currency in parts of the industry. This enables employers to recognise competence, and individuals to prove they can do the jobs. Work is on-going to develop standards for producers and directors, and following completion of this work it will be decided whether it is appropriate to then also develop qualifications for these occupations. Any such qualifications will have to recognise the competencies of talent and entrepreneurial skills in their assessment. Occupational standards are available on the SKILLSET website which is useful for planning your career.

For further information contact: SKILLSET, Prospect House, 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1HB. Tel: (0808) 300 900 or (020) 7520 5757. Fax: (020) 7520 5758. email: info@skillset.org Website: www.skillset.org www.skillsformedia.com

Training in Scotland and Wales

Scottish Screen Training is an employer-led partnership and provides training based on the current needs of the industry. For further information contact: Scottish Screen Training, 249 West George Street, Glasgow G2 4QE. Tel:

(0141) 302 1700. Fax: (0141) 334 8132.

email: info@scottishscreen.com

CYFLE runs a twelve-month full-time course and a number of short courses with particular emphasis on Welsh-speaking technicians. For further information contact: CYFLE, Gronant, Penrallt Isaf, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 1N5. Tel: (01286) 671000. email: cyfle@cyfle.co.uk

INTRODUCTORY COURSE

There is a good introductory course in London with sessions at weekends giving an overview of all aspects of production. Run by professionals in the indusry and excellent for people who want a taste of the business but are not sure what area to go for. Contact: Panico, PO Box 496. London WC1A 2WZ. Tel: (020) 7485 3533. email: panico@panicofilms.com Website: www.panicofilms.com

NEW FUNDING

In 2001, the British Government launched a £1 million a year Film Training Fund which supports training for scriptwriters, film development executives, producers and distributors operating internationally. As a result, several new training and careers information initiatives have appeared. Worth investigating are the following:

Skillsformedia

The uniqueness of the skillsformedia approach is that it is aimed equally at those wishing to enter the industries and at the people already working in the sector who want to plan their careers.

Students can use the service to discover effective routes into the industry, identify work that matches their skills and talents and locate appropriate training. New entrants can find out more about the jobs available to them and can access help on developing their CVs, self-marketing and interview skills. They can also find out what relevant industry qualifications they might pursue.

Website:www.skillsformedia.com – The portal for all UK media careers and training information, built around real life case studies. This site is the first stop for information about the media industries, jobs, industry qualifications, careers and training.

HelpUne: Tel: (08080) 300 900 – A ten-minute confidential telephone chat with a careers adviser for anyone wanting to get into or get on in the media industries.

Workshops – Workshops in marketing and business planning, run by media experts to give practitioners the edge in a constantly changing industry.

For further information about the service, contact skillsformedia, Prospect House, 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1HB. Tel: (020) 7520 5757. email: skillsformedia@bectu.org.uk

Draft Zero

Short courses for development executives and screenwriters. Information from: Draft Zero, 26 Goodge Street, London WIT 2QG. Tel: (020) 7255 2551. Fax: 07092 371565. email: www.drqftzero.com. Website: www.drqftzero.com

Websites with job opportunities

Largely vacancies for experienced people but occasional openings for runners.

www.editors@produxion.com

www.mandy.com

www.shootingpeople.org

www.productionbase.co.uk