Encouraging diversity: BBC People with Disabilities in Tech Event

The Diversity team run regular events aimed particularly at those who have tech skills, qualifications or experience and whom also have a disability, in order to help attract more disabled talent to roles in BBC Digital. In advance of the next event being held in Salford on December 17th, Emma Crother and her manager Dave Brown share their thoughts and experiences on attending a previous session. 

Emma: Earlier this year I attended one of BBC Digital’s ‘People with Disabilities in Tech (PDT)’ events which was a great opportunity to learn about the BBC, gain valuable job application advice and meet like-minded people. At the time I was working for the Choir of St John’s College in Cambridge creating content for the Choir’s website, but I was looking for a new challenge and was keen to hear more about vacancies at the BBC.

As well as information about the digital products and services run by the BBC, the PDT day included development workshops which gave advice on personal branding and interview techniques. We also participated in discussions lead by BBC News Disability Correspondent Nikki Fox, about recruiting and supporting disabled staff at the BBC. One of the most important factors that arose from the discussions was that everyone is unique and disability affects everyone differently – we were encouraged to think positively, focus on applying our strengths and find a role that we would really enjoy.

Dave: As a manager, it was great to attend the PDT event and learn a lot more about disability issues in the workplace. There was evidently a great depth of talent among the attendees, but the most striking aspect was the enthusiasm which people attending had for tech and the career possibilities at the BBC and within the wider industry.

Emma: It was really interesting to hear about the BBC digital products, including iPlayer, in the mini masterclasses. Throughout the day there were plenty of opportunities to ask questions about services including iPlayer, BBC websites and the Red Button. The BBC Digital team leaders also gave presentations which provided information about the roles available on their teams that support BBC Digital services in Salford.

Dave: It's always great to be able to interact directly with potential applicants for a role, and the opportunity to present who we are and what we do in the Online Technology Group was a really valuable one for me. Speaking after the event was also great - people who were interested in hearing more about the role were able to ask me questions, and I could go into a bit more detail where it was necessary.

Emma: Attending the event inspired me to apply for a job at the BBC. I submitted my application online, was invited to attend an interview and subsequently was offered a job on the Media Management Operators (MMO) team in Salford. I’ve now been in post for 6 months and I’m really enjoying being an MMO, working as part of the 24/7 team in the Online Technology Group. 

The main purpose of the MMO role is to manage the delivery of audio and video content to BBC iPlayer and BBC Radio Player. My job also involves maintaining BBC iPlayer – quality checking the content, noticing anomalies within the iPlayer schedule, and troubleshooting issues on the iPlayer platform. I love the problem solving element of my job, in particular spotting inconsistencies and raising issues. Before I joined the BBC I used the iPlayer on a daily basis, and I find it satisfying to know that I have contributed to maintaining such a great product.

Dave: Emma has been an enormous boost to the MMO team in the North, and I would not have had the opportunity to meet her and explain the role were it not for the PDT. In my view managers are still under-educated in this area, and it's such a mutually beneficial event that I can't recommend it highly enough.

The BBC is running two further PDT events, one in Salford on 17 December 2015 and another in London on 29 March 2016. For more details, including how to apply for a place, please visit the BBC Diversity website.