The 46 passionate new apprentices who will be working at BBC Local Radio stations across the UK have started their training – and they’re already learning something new, writes programme coordinator Rachael Smith.
After months of preparation and a six-week-long recruitment drive, 46 new BBC Local Apprentices recently walked into BBC Birmingham for their first day at training.
The apprentices are from every radio station in the UK, from Nan Gaidheal in Stornoway to Jersey in the Channel Islands. Though they are all from different backgrounds and experiences, all share a passion for radio.
"It was very exciting but nerve-wracking as everyone was a stranger to me"– Michelle Dowd, apprentice
It was this passion we looked for when recruiting them in assessment centres over the summer. During the assessment each apprentice was tested for their writing ability, whether they could work as part of a team, and also had to take on a competency based interview.
The process took six-weeks, with the BBC Academy’s Local Apprenticeship team working closely with colleagues in BBC Radio, from editors through to Local Radio administrators.
The apprentices are taking on a NCTJ Level 3 apprenticeship in Journalism while working at the BBC for 15 months, and have started their apprenticeship with a seven-week training block. The first week was an induction held at a new training space at BBC Birmingham and delivered by the BBC Academy and training partners Wolverhampton City College.
I caught up with BBC Radio Ulster’s apprentice Michelle Dowd during the week to see how she was doing so far:
“It was very exciting but nerve-wracking as everyone was a stranger to me. It was a new experience as well as it’s my first time away from home for a long period of time and that’s very scary, even at 21 years of age!
I have already learned a lot of interesting things in our training, such as finding a story on your own merit and telling it to the best of your ability to your audience.
I am extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity and I can’t wait to see what the next 15 months have in store. It’s going to be a rollercoaster ride for me, and for all of us, but with lots of grafting and hard work, we’ll do just fine. Here’s to the future and may it be a bright one.”
Apprentices are training in split locations at BBC Birmingham and BBC Wood Norton during the rest of the training weeks. Each element of the training plan will equip them to start on their station, ready to build up their skills as apprentice broadcast or content assistants.
They will be supported along the way by a close network of BBC Academy staff, trainers, BBC Radio editors, mentors and colleagues, each of us eager to ensure they develop the skills to pass the apprenticeship.
There’ll be more from the apprentices on the Academy website throughout the year. You can keep up-to-date with the latest via Twitter using #BBCLAS or via iPlayer Radio.
