Film and TV apprenticeships 2022-23: accountants

If you wish to apply for the edit assistant (post-production technical operator) apprenticeship, please click here.

Get your start in film and TV production as an assistant production accountant apprentice working on shows from the makers of Good Omens, Gangs of London, MasterChef and Hollyoaks.

We need to recruit and train for accounts roles which is a key skills shortage for the UK’s booming film and TV industry. The assistant production accountant role is part of the production accounting team, which works closely with the wider production management team. In pre-production (before shooting starts), production accountants help the producers and production managers prepare budgets and estimated final cost reports. During production and wrap (when production finishes), they oversee all payments, manage payroll and provide daily or weekly cost reports. They also produce costs forecasts to evaluate the impact of any production changes. A career in the accounts department is varied, rewarding and a vital part of the production process – it could involve working with payroll, or accounts payable for costume or construction, or petty cash, or as a locations accountant to name but a few!

This is an entry-level assistant production accountant role for anyone 18 and over with maths and English language GCSE.

Training: Assistant production accountant - apprenticeship standard/qualification  (duration 16 months)

More info: Job Profile

Start date: 5 September 2022

What happens during your apprenticeship?

The programme is made possible, thanks to funding from the Department for Education and our industry partners  Prime Video, Sky with APX Content Ventures Banijay UK and Lime Pictures. 

During your apprenticeship, you would work on productions at one of the above partners alongside training with a specialised training provider, All Spring Media. This innovative scheme aims to help more people get into the film and TV industries without needing film school, a degree or contacts.

Successful applicants will be employed by ScreenSkills on fixed-term contracts and earn the London Living Wage. ScreenSkills will manage placements and training as part of this new programme which intends to recruit apprentices as assistant production accountants, a key skills shortage area in the current production boom.

ScreenSkills is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of our work. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups - women, those who consider themselves as an ethnic minority or from an ethnic group, those who are deaf or who have a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, people who are LGBTQ+, from a less advantaged socio-economic background, with caring responsibilities, returning parents or carers who are re-entering after a career break or any other under-represented group.

The first cohort started in May 2022. We are now recruiting for a second cohort starting in September 2022. Closing date for applications is midnight 3 July 2022. 

It won't be possible to confirm which productions apprentices will work on until recruitment has finished. Placements may take place in different parts of the country so apprentices might need to commute or temporarily relocate at points during their apprenticeship. We can’t provide funding for that, but we will do our best to minimise the need for travel or relocation and provide other support, such as advice on finding somewhere to live where necessary.

Start date: 5 September 2022

How to apply

Applications are taken through the ScreenSkills website by clicking the ‘Apply now’ button on this page. You must be logged into a ScreenSkills profile to apply. If you don’t already have a ScreenSkills account, you can create one here and come back to this page to apply.

Applications will close on midnight Sunday 3 July 2022. If you are struggling to complete your application, or require access support, please email apprenticeships@screenskills.com

Eligibility criteria

The only qualifications you need to apply are a GCSE (A*-C/9-4) in maths and English language, but you should also meet these criteria:

• You must love and regularly watch film and TV shows
• You must want to pursue a career specifically in film and television production accounts
• You must be willing to travel nationwide responding to different production locations and shooting schedules, as well as to the training provider’s base
• You must live in England and have the right to work in the UK
• You must not be in full-time education and must be 18 or over by 31 August 2022 for the 5 September start date
• You must have passed maths and English language GCSEs (or the international equivalent) at grade A*-C/ 9-4 to be eligible to apply
• This apprenticeship is aimed at school leavers who have not completed a degree course but if your degree is in an unrelated subject you may be eligible to apply
• You must not already have an accountancy qualification at level 3 or above (equivalent to A-level). This is due to rules about apprenticeship funding and recognition of prior learning, which you can read about here.

Frequently asked questions

• When is the closing date for applications? Midnight on Sunday 3 July 2022
• What happens if I apply after the deadline has closed? Your application will not be considered
• What if I’m still in full-time education after September 2022? You will not be eligible to apply for the apprenticeship
• What if I’m under 18 at the time of application and not able to set up a ScreenSkills account? Please email apprenticeships@screenskills.com
• When will I hear back about my application? Successful candidates who are selected for interview will be notified in early July 2022
• When will the interviews take place? The interviews will take place between 18 and 22 July 2022
• Where will the assessment day take place? The assessment day will be online on 28 July 2022
• Can I get financial help to travel to the assessment day and interview? Interviews and assessment day are online
• What will happen at the assessment day? It will involve a range of group exercises designed to find the applicants most likely to benefit from the apprenticeship, plus an industry panel so you can ask questions of people who already do the roles you are applying for
• What sort of questions are likely to be asked at the interview stage? Questions about your experiences so we can understand what you can already do. We will be looking to make connections between the job you are applying for and your achievements, interests, school or college projects and other activities to help you to demonstrate skills and experience that are relevant to the job
• What happens if I am successful in my application, but I don’t live near where the industry placements are taking place or the training course? It is possible you may need to commute or even relocate temporarily to work at placements or attend the training course. We don’t have funding for that, but we will do our best to provide other support, such as advice on how to find somewhere to live
• What hours will I do? Your contract will be for 35 hours paid week. However, when you are on an industry placement, you may be required to do considerably more hours as it is more usual to work 55-hour weeks while on production
• If I’m unavailable or working on an interview date or assessment day, can I still take part in this programme? We may be able to offer an alternative interview date, but the assessment days are not flexible and are a compulsory part of the process
• I’m under 18, but I really want to start working, can I apply? For the the September start date, all applicants must be 18 or over on or before 31 August 2022 
• I’m 17 but will be 18 by the time the placements starts, can I still apply? As long as you will be 18 or over on or before 31 August 2022 for the September start date, you can apply
• I live outside England, can I still apply?  You must have the right to work in England for the duration of the apprenticeship programme and your permanent address must be in England at the start and for the duration of the apprenticeship.
• My referees/previously employers were outside the UK/don’t speak English, can I still use them? Unfortunately, we are not able to translate references that are not in English
• How long will the apprenticeship last?   the assistant accountant appreticeship is 16 months . You will be on a full-time contract for the duration of the apprenticeship, so you will need to be available to work and study for the whole period
• What's the pay? Successful applicants will be employed by ScreenSkills on fixed-term contracts and earn the London Living Wage
• If I am successful, when will I start? The cohort will start on 5 September 2022
• Will I be eligible for holiday leave? As an employee of ScreenSkills you will receive 25 days of paid leave per year. When you can take it will need to be negotiated and agreed with ScreenSkills and the host employer
• Can I apply if I have a degree? The ScreenSkills Apprenticeship scheme is aimed at school leavers who have not completed a degree course but if your degree is in an unrelated subject you may be eligible to apply
• If I have a level 3 qualification (equivalent to A-level) in accountancy, can I apply for the assistant production accountant apprenticeship? No because the apprenticeship is a level 3 qualification and you are not eligible for funding if you have a previous level 3 qualification in accountancy due to the rules governing funding which recognises prior learning. However, accountants are in demand in the screen industries, so you may be able to use your qualification anyway. You can read more about being a production accountant here
• If I am successful in my application, who will be my manager during the apprenticeship? You will be an employee of ScreenSkills so your formal line manager will be from there. But you will also have a day-to-day line manager on production when you are on a work placement
• Will I gain a recognised qualification? At the end of the apprenticeship, you take a practical test (called the end-point assessment). As long as you pass, you will receive a recognised apprenticeship certificate. Those who have done the assistant production accountant apprenticeship may also attain a recognised accountancy qualification
• If I fail my end-point assessment, can I retake it? Yes, although we and the training provider will do our best to support you so that isn’t necessary
  What happens at the end of the apprenticeship? The contract is for a fixed term and ends with the apprenticeship. However, we will do our best to support you to move into further employment when the apprenticeship finishes, whether as a freelancer or as a contracted employee. And, of course, you will have gained skills and experience that are very much in demand in the industry. As long as you pass at the end, you will also have the apprenticeship qualification

Contact information

Email: apprenticeships@screenskills.com