More than 30 trainees from across the UK have joined innovative Channel 4 training programmes which could set them on their way to careers within the TV, media and creative industries.
Thirty-one trainees have joined 4Skills’ Content Creatives programme and its Production Training Scheme which will help them learn new skills before they join companies and organisations where they will put those skills into practice.
The programmes target new and underrepresented talent and offer them the opportunity to discover more about the industry and hone their knowledge through workshops and placements. Many go on to secure new opportunities and employment off the back of the schemes.
Kevin Blacoe, Channel 4’s Head of Partnerships & Skills, Nations & Regions says: “At Channel 4, one of our main priorities is discovering and developing talent from all over the UK. We understand how tough it can be to break into the television industry and our Content Creatives and Production Training Schemes are designed to make that path easier.
“By collaborating with creative businesses, organisations and top production companies across the country, we’re able to equip trainees with valuable skills, experience, and insights which they can carry with them throughout their careers.”
Content Creatives 2024
4Skills welcomed 19 new trainees from across West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester into Channel 4’s Leeds office as part of this year’s Content Creatives 2024 launch.
The first eight weeks of the course sees the trainees take part in classroom learning led by training provider Sharp Futures. Sessions focus on a range of topics including digital storytelling, ideas generation, podcasting, and pitching.
After this, they will put their new skills to practise on their sixteen week-long creative work placements at Channel 4’s 4Studio or with one of the channel’s external partner organisations.
Partner companies in West Yorkshire include 4Studio, Social, Bradford 2024, Limehouse, FinnComms, NSMM, Brawl, Jaywing, Campus Industries and Royal Armouries – with Greater Manchester partners including One Day, Social, Red Bricks and Tangerine.
The Content Creatives scheme is open to anyone aged over the age of 18 currently living in West Yorkshire or Manchester or able to commute, with a particular focus on people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Chloe Johnson, who is participating in this year’s scheme with a placement at Channel 4’s 4Studio, says: “Content Creatives seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to get my foot back in the door and learn the new skills I needed.”
Daniel Gbolagun has a placement secured with One Day agency. He comments: “The scheme is a great opportunity to get into the industry and be trained in various aspects of the creative industry, which will enable me to utilise the training during my work placement at One Day.”
Ricardo Seixas, founder and CEO of One Day agency, added: “One Day’s success at its very core is built entirely by giving people open doors to professional growth through true, unrestricted, limitless, borderless collaboration and close support. The Content Creatives is one of those doors we’ve opened among other initiatives, a partnership we’re extremely happy to be a part of.”
Production Training Scheme
Earlier this month, Channel 4 launched this year’s Production Training Scheme, which offers 12 fully paid placements with unscripted indies across the UK.
Channel 4 Production trainees will work in paid, full-time roles for independent production companies for 12 months alongside support and training delivered by the channel’s training partner thinkBIGGER!.
Candidates will learn from the very best the UK TV industry has to offer, all whilst earning a salary funded by 4Skills and the indie partner.
Locations facilitating either production coordinator or researcher roles include Belfast, Birmingham, Caernarfon, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Wrexham.
Nicole Kleeman, Managing Director at FirecrestFilms, says: “We are delighted to welcome our two new trainees. This opportunity is unique in the industry and it’s a privilege to be part of it again. Over seven years we’ve seen at firsthand how valuable this partnership can be in identifying new talent and providing them with the skills to flourish.”
The initiatives are part many projects being supported by 4Skills, which provided more than 57,000 learning, training or development opportunities in 2023.
Pippa Considine
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