Vicky Owens discovered ScreenSkills when she realised her graphic design skills could be transferable to children’s TV. After attending a ScreenSkills Open Doors careers event in her Liverpool hometown, she applied for the Trainee Finder programme and got accepted as an art trainee.
On how the programme helped her adapt to a new work environment, Vicky said: “My first ScreenSkills job was on children’s series, Still So Awkward. I found it to be a fast-paced turnaround from what I was used to; the deadlines were tighter and I had to adapt to move quickly. It was a real learning curve but such a valuable experience. ScreenSkills was there all along the way to give advice and check I was ok, and I can’t praise the CBBC production enough – they were really supportive.”
On how the programme helped her establish herself in the industry, Vicky added: “I learned a lot from the head of department and from there I went straight into a second ScreenSkills job. I then did a few jobs from making connections on both of those jobs. I wouldn’t have had those connections without ScreenSkills as that is the idea of the programme. “While I was working on Still So Awkward, the art director on another children’s series, Andy and the Band asked me to join her on series 2 and I have been working on that for the last three months.”
Vicky explained how the Trainee Finder programme opened her up to a new career path, “I never knew how to get into TV before and if I hadn’t come across ScreenSkills I would never have known how to get in. I always thought the industry was London centric and you had to know people but ScreenSkills opened the door for me and enabled me to find work where I’m from. I love working in children’s TV - it’s not so restrictive and confined to a style or genre. Children’s TV is manic but great fun!”