Explore different roles in the screen industries
If you're interested in a career in the screen industries, apprenticeships can be a good way to get in - but it can be difficult to know where to find them.
You can find more information about different job roles by looking at out ScreenSkills' job profiles. Each job profile has detailed information about what kinds of apprenticeships might be available in that particular role.
Search for apprenticeship vacancies
Look on job websites for apprenticeship vacancies. Apprenticeships are advertised in the same way as other jobs.
If you're interested in working for a particular employer, check out their website. If the company has a newsletter, sign up and keep an eye on vacancies.
Use the government websites to help you in your search.
- England: Look at becoming an apprentice and browse apprenticeships
- Northern Ireland: Look at apprenticeships explained and search apprenticeship opportunities
- Scotland: Go to become an apprentice
- Wales: Look at apprenticeships and then apprenticeship search
Explore apprenticeship schemes
An apprenticeship is a job with training and the schemes are organised by employers. Larger employers usually recruit apprentices across a variety of different job roles. They tend to open for applications once a year so it’s important to know when they are recruiting. There are a number of well-known apprenticeship schemes in the screen industries offered by broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Sky.
Some employers work together on apprenticeship schemes: for example, a group of companies including Framestore and DNEG, are working with the Next Gen Skills Academy to offer apprenticeships in visual effects (VFX), animation companies Blue Zoo and Jellyfish have joined up to offer apprenticeships for junior animators, and VMI, Movietech, ARRI Rental and others are working together to offer apprenticeships for camera technicians .
You can find links to several apprenticeship schemes below; remember to sign up for their alerts and follow them on social media to receive information on opportunities:
Production, technical and VFX
Explore apprenticeship standards in England
Apprenticeships are categorised by ‘routes’ for each industry type, and there are plenty of apprenticeships in the Creative and Design route that have been specifically designed for job roles in the screen industries. You can read each apprenticeship standard to find out who the programme is for, how long it usually lasts, the knowledge, skills and behaviours covered during the training , and how it will be assessed. It also lists the names of companies that were involved in developing the apprenticeship standard, so you can search those companies’ websites to see the apprenticeships they offer.
There are also apprenticeship standards that have been designed for working in other industries, either in the Creative and Design sector or more widely. Screen employers and training providers may offer apprenticeships that have been adapted from these standards, giving you specific training for jobs in screen as well as relevant skills that could easily be transferred to working in another sector altogether.
- Assistant recording technician
- Assistant technical director (visual effects)
- Broadcast and media systems engineer
- Broadcast and media systems technical operator
- Broadcast and media systems technician
- Production assistant
- Camera prep technician
- Creative industries production technician
- Digital community manager
- Game programmer
- Junior 2D artist (visual effects)
- Junior animator
- Junior content producer
- Journalist
- Junior VFX artist
- Production co-ordinator
- Outside broadcasting engineer
- Photographic assistant
- Post-production technical operator
- Post-production engineer
- Production manager
- Props technician
- Senior journalist
- Storyboard artist
- VFX artist or technical director
- VFX supervisor
It's also worth noting that even if you want a career in screen, there might be a suitable apprenticeship for you outside the screen industries. You could, for example, have an apprenticeship in the construction industry as a way into becoming a construction manager on film sets. Or an apprenticeship in the beauty industry before becoming a TV make-up artist. Likewise, apprenticeships in the accounting, business administration, marketing and catering industries can all lead to roles in screen.
|
Apprenticeship standard |
Role in screen industries |
|
|
|
|
|
Contact local FE colleges and private training providers
Further education colleges usually advertise the apprenticeships which they offer locally and it is worth checking out your nearest college to see what opportunities are available. Employers also work with private training providers to deliver apprenticeship training. You can find a list of training providers who deliver apprenticeship standards in England by looking on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s apprenticeship standards page and following the link to ‘Find an apprenticeship training provider that delivers this standard’ in the column opposite the main text.
The link is aimed at employers and asks you to enter your postcode and whether your organisation is a levy payer – so as you are just trying to research training providers answer either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to see the full list of training providers that deliver each standard. This will provide you with names and website links to training providers and colleges that deliver the apprenticeship standard. You can then browse their website and follow their social media accounts to see if they have opportunities available. Websites for training providers vary and although they are often directed at employers, some allow you to register your interest.
Some of the training providers delivering screen related apprenticeship training include:
Be flexible
When searching for an apprenticeship be prepared to:
- be flexible on job roles and location
- wait for application schemes to open
- explore different options for developing your career in screen. Have a look at our advice for getting in