ScreenSkills and Prime Video Pathway Unscripted TV Job-share 101 - for Employers

This info session introduces the ScreenSkills and Prime Video Pathway Unscripted TV Job-share Programme 2026 and explains how productions can access ‘handover’ funding to support job-sharers in their teams.  

At this time of commissioning downturn, job-sharing is a practical tool for keeping our freelancers in work by opening roles up to two people, thereby allowing both freelancers to stay in the industry and keeping valuable experience in our teams.

We will explore the benefits job-sharers can bring to productions including bringing double the experience, complementary skills, problem solving capacity, energy as well as holiday and sickness cover.

The training will share resources to support managers working with job-share pairs to ensure they deliver a seamless service for productions.

We believe job-sharing and flexible working is key to supporting the diversity and health of our workforce. While job-sharing is traditionally seen as something to help retain female talent, we know that it is also an essential tool when it comes to retaining talent with caring commitments, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, disabled workers and those with mental or physical health challenges or just people who want more balance in their lives. 

This session is supported by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund which invests in training for the unscripted workforce thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

Who it's for

This session is for employers including HOPs, Exec and Series Producers, Line Producers, Production Managers, Talent Managers and HR working in Unscripted Television (Reality, Documentaries, Gameshows, Talk shows, Lifestyle, Arts, News) who are interested in hiring job-sharers.

Job-sharing can work successfully in Unscripted roles including, Casting, Edit Producers, Editors, Series Producers, Production Managers and Coordinators. We are keen to further explore how job-sharing can support people in different roles and departments.

What it covers

This training will provide structures and resources that support supervisors bringing job-sharers into their teams, to allow productions to benefit from having two experienced freelancers sharing one role. 

Our experience of training both job-sharers and the employers that manage them, means we provide advice based on best practice to ensure successful job-shares.  We draw on case studies as well as our own experience as job-sharers to design the perfect job-sharing arrangement. Successful job-shares will be of benefit to both the job-sharers themselves and the companies they work for.

• We share best practice on flexible working and job-sharing.
• We engage senior leaders in the benefits of job-sharing for your productions.
• We discuss how flexible working can retain diverse talent and protect the health of your workforce.
• We explore how production companies can find, manage and support job-share pairs to thrive in their role.
• Based on research and extensive experience of job-sharers, we deliver the structure for companies to develop clear pathways and hiring practices to take the perceived risk out of hiring job-sharers.
• We address common concerns and misconceptions around job-sharing to create arrangements that support both the job-sharers and the teams they work in.
• We share resources and highlight funding opportunities.

Trainer

Michelle Reynolds is co-director at ReelTime Media. She worked for 17 years in Unscripted Television, and since 2018 has worked as ScreenSkills' HETV Manager, then at Share My Telly Job and now at ReelTime. Michelle’s expertise lies in her knowledge of job-sharing; she has devised and delivered multiple job-sharing programmes for ScreenSkills, and is currently leading a job-sharing initiative with Crew HQ at WBSL. Michelle has guided organisations as wide-ranging as Netflix, STV, Bectu, Screen Alliance North and Talent Academies Ireland towards more inclusive working practices. She was a founding officer of the Unscripted TV Union (part of Bectu) where she served as Women’s officer for three years.

How to apply

This session will take place online via Zoom. Click ‘get ticket’ at the top of the page and follow the instructions to book your place; you must login or register before you are able to book your place.

Our courses are popular and often book up quickly. If you are no longer able to attend, we ask you to please use the “decline ticket” function on the right-hand side of the page so that we can release your place to someone on the waiting list.