Government Minister Gives Apprentices Their TV Big Break

THE Minister for Skills David Lammy has visited the BBC in Manchester to officially launch the UK's first-ever Advanced Apprenticeship in Media Production.

The BBC, ITV Granada, Lime Pictures and the Red Production Company are some of the companies backing the initiative, which has been devised and funded by Northwest Vision and Media, Skillset, the BBC and the Learning and Skills Council.

This is the first time an apprenticeship scheme has been developed specifically for the media industry by the media industry with quality of training in mind.

Nearly 300 young people aged 16-22 from Bolton, Preston, Manchester, Salford and Southport applied for the 18-month apprenticeships. Thirty-five per cent of the first intake of apprentices are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

The apprentices will combine college study while working in TV, radio, post production, online and emerging new technologies. They will be given roles such as production runner, production assistant, production secretary and web assistant. The 18-month apprenticeship will result in a NVQ Level 3 qualification.

The pilot scheme is a timely action as the region is repositioning itself as a major media hub following the BBC's decision to relocate five departments to Salford. It is expected that 1500 jobs will be relocated to the site, but estimates for the total number of jobs that mediacity:uk at Salford will create is up to 15,500, of which approximately 4,000 will be media jobs (including the BBC).

Skills Minister David Lammy said the new apprenticeship was an exemplary model of a sector-sensitive approach to delivering relevant, structured and high-quality training to address skills gaps and shortages - both now and in the future.

Mr Lammy said: “Any parent or teacher can tell you the huge appetite young people have for careers in media and new media. This new scheme addresses that appetite and is a great example of how employers, unions, public bodies and Sector Skills Councils can work together to deliver pathways for our young people into good careers.”

He added: "This new apprenticeship represents an innovative way to meet employers’ needs in skills provision. The North West's repositioning as a major national and international media hub will only realise its full potential with a steady supply of labour that has the skills to match what industry needs.”

"These 20 young people and the skills they will learn is a crucial element in the supply chain. I congratulate the successful candidates and all the partners - Northwest Vision and Media, BBC, Skillset and the LSC - who have worked tremendously hard to make this scheme a reality," the Skills Minister said.

Lynne McCadden, Managing Director of Vision and Media, which works on behalf of the region's TV, film, radio and digital content industries, said: "This is the first opportunity for young people who don't have GCSE maths or English, to still be able to apply for an apprenticeship which offers so much potential for their future career."

Margaret McClelland, Development Executive BBC North Project, said the scheme would help to provide the skilled workforce needed for the development of mediacity:uk at Salford Quays. She said: "Recruiting young people from different backgrounds, different cultures and with different life experiences will ensure that our programming continues to be innovative and truly resonates with all our audiences."

Dinah Caine, Skillset’s Chief Executive, said: “With the Northwest set to become one the biggest media hubs in the UK, we are working in the region and across the North to help ensure a diversity of talent makes the most of the opportunities. The production apprenticeship scheme is just one of the ways we can ensure this. We have already had interest from other regions and the Nations, with both Yorkshire and Wales keen to run pilots.”

John Korzeniewski, Learning and Skills Council Regional Director North West, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for a group of young people who would not usually have been able to break into the world of broadcasting, to make their dreams a reality.

“The programme underlines the vital part apprenticeships play in boosting the skills of young people and equipping them with the skills that employers need for the future.”