ScreenSkills invites training providers or industry professionals to tender for training designed to address skills shortages and gaps and to help build a more inclusive workforce in unscripted TV.
Training for the UK unscripted TV industry is supported by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund (with contributions from productions companies, broadcasters and SVoDs in the UK).
Investment addresses the skills and development needs of unscripted TV, tackling skill gaps and shortages, and ensuring the robust growth of the sector is secured with a fully skilled and inclusive workforce. All priorities are endorsed by the industry led Unscripted TV Skills Council and Steering Group.
The Unscripted TV Skills Fund is looking for an organisation or individual(s) who can design and run a programme on cutting content in the digital age.
Who can apply?
ScreenSkills welcomes applications from individuals, partnerships or organisations that have a proven track record of delivering successful industry-standard training projects. We particularly welcome applications from those based in the UK nations and regions, including partnerships between organisations and/or individuals with expertise in unscripted TV.
The successful applicant will need to demonstrate their understanding of Unscripted TV training requirements, including the diversity challenges facing the industry and must clearly demonstrate that they have the resources to track the career progression of participants beyond the life of the programme.
If applicants are already delivering similar training and can expand their offer to include the scope outlined below, they are also welcome to apply.
Applicants must:
- Demonstrate evidence of appropriate, recent engagement with the industry in the design and delivery of the programme
- Meet critical diversity aims as outlined in this tender, including:
- making reasonable adjustments to the training (whether face-to-face, content or online and including during the application process) to make it accessible to a diverse audience – we may ask for evidence of your approach and implementation
- having an equality policy in place as an employer
- providing diversity and inclusivity training to facilitators – (see free ACAS online training).
All ScreenSkills-funded training programmes are now required to use the ScreenSkills application system. Exceptions are made at ScreenSkills’ sole discretion and only in exceptional circumstances.
Key requirements
The training provider must design, manage, market, recruit and deliver a comprehensive skills programme looking at cutting new Unscripted content. Training should be delivered in person and should include a mix of theoretical and practical exercises. Participant learning outcomes to include:
- The editing skills needed to cut impactful digital first content, social clips, podcasts and companion content for digital and online platforms.
- An understanding of the creative nuances that exist with digital first – audience expectations/ tolerances, digital budgets and technical specifications - which allow and require new thinking to the edit, and the different tools, platforms and workflows that result.
- Awareness of the differences between cutting the same content for audio-only and visual audiences.
- Governing practices and recommendations for master delivery across different broadcasters, streamers and platforms
- AI considerations and tools
ScreenSkills’ Skills Checklists should be used if applicable when developing training content.
Participants must also complete ScreenSkills’ e-learning modules in tackling bullying and harassment, inclusive hiring, mental health awareness and unconscious bias.
We expect training to be completed by the end of March 2027.
Participant aims
The training should be for a minimum of 50 participants based across the UK. Recruitment should target edit assistants, junior editors, assistant producers, producer/editors, sound and picture editors working in Unscripted TV.
The following are the minimum diversity aims for this programme:
- At least 66% of beneficiaries based outside London
- 50% female
- 30% social inclusion (based on parental occupation)
- 20% from a minority ethnic group
- 12% disabled
- 12% LGBT (sexual orientation and gender identity aim)
Providing access to diverse crew and talent is key to our delivery objectives. All trainers and companies delivering programmes that are funded by the Unscripted TV Skills Fund must make best efforts to meet the identified diversity requirements. ScreenSkills reserves the right to ask for evidence of this.
We expect training providers to ensure that sufficient, appropriate equipment is available to enable everyone to fully participate.
We require all Skills Fund-funded programme participants to set up a ScreenSkills profile via our website. Participants must complete their profile and diversity monitoring data before the training begins.
How to apply
At this stage we are requesting an expression of interest. After clicking the button below, training providers will be emailed by the USF team and asked to complete a brief document outlining the key aspects of the proposed programme, how the key requirements of the training sessions will be met, information about the company and the provider’s capacity to deliver training.
How much can you apply for?
We are looking for bids of up to £50,000
All our funds are treated as grants and therefore are not applicable for VAT.
Deadlines
All expressions of interest should be sent directly to the Unscripted TV Skills Fund team via the 'register interest' button by Wednesday 15 April. You will then receive an Expression of Interest booklet to be completed and submitted to the USF team by Friday 17 April.
If you are successful in being shortlisted, you will be required to submit an online application form and a budget by Friday 29 May. Applicants will be notified of a decision by w/c 13 July.
Other useful Information
As part of your application, we will expect you to detail how you have, or will be, ensuring the training and any application process are accessible including, but not limited to, alternative application formats, marketing and the delivery of training.
We expect your budget to include a reasonable bursary allocation for delegates who risk being excluded due to costs including, but not limited to, travel and caring responsibilities.
If there is, or will be, a charge to the delegates for the training, we will also expect your budget to include a reasonable bursary allocation.
Please ensure that, where applicable, costs are shown in your budget inclusive of VAT. This also applies to any delegates fees you may charge.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this tender, or your proposal, before submitting your application, please contact us at USF@screenskills.com.