OUAN602 - PPP3: BBC Internships

OUAN602 - PPP3:

BBC Internships

As I was having a think about possible career opportunities way back in second year, I was encouraged by my family to look into the television industry and think about getting involved with companies such as the BBC, especially seeing as they're right on my doorstep in Leeds. I had a look on their website and Twitter feed to see if they had an upcoming opportunities, and discovered that they weren't hiring at the moment but would put anything on their site and to keep checking.

How it works

We have four application windows every year and each one will last two weeks. There are several categories of work experience available in each location. You can only choose one category in one location. There is no separate category for online work, but all of categories offer placements that have a strong interactive element.

When you choose your location and category and fill in your online application, we’ll ask you some questions about your interests and passion for your chosen placement. If you are successful, we’ll do our best to match you to a placement that’s right for you.

What can I expect?

Every work experience placement is different, but they’re all designed to give you the opportunity to make the most of your time with us. When you arrive, your Placement Manager will want to find out more about you and what you want to get out of your time with us. They’ll try to get you involved in the things that interest you most.

Remember that work experience is unpaid but it’s a learning experience and not a job.

I wasn't disheartened by the lack of opportunities with the BBC, but decided to keep it in my mind for a later date and look elsewhere. I think they'd be a fantastic team to get in with as I believe organisation and research are probably my strongest points as opposed to actually animating and film itself. I very much like the paperwork and office-based side of things, or even getting out to exotic locations and finding interesting topics for people to report on and discuss. 

I looked into their Production Trainee Scheme for students who have left university and wish to find paid work as an intern or apprentice:

The Production Trainee Scheme is the BBC's fast track traineeship

If you gain a place on the Production Trainee Scheme you will be given an 11 month contract, and during that time we'll train and develop you for a career in the media. You'll be given three different work placements across the UK, in Radio and Television. You'll be mentored by a senior BBC Manager and, by the end of the scheme, you'll have the skills to turn creative ideas into brilliant programmes.

Past placements have included EastEnders, Doctor Who, Radio 1, CBBC, The One Show, Woman's Hour, The Chris Evans Show, Radio 4 Documentaries, The Culture Show, Crimewatch, Coast and the Natural History Unit - to name but a few.

To be a Production Trainee, you must be able to work flexibly. You'll be required to move productions every few months, and spend at least one of your work placements in a BBC production centre outside London in either Cardiff, Bristol, Belfast, Glasgow, Birmingham or Salford.

This gave me a little bit of hope knowing that the BBC does actually have a lot of different schemes in place to help out budding film-enthusiasts. I'll keep checking now and again and when my own personal situation improves (money, health, housing etc.), I might have a bash at getting in touch with them!