Bauer Academy awarded BBC contract to train next generation of production talent

Training begins this month with 75 new apprentices taking part 

Bauer Academy have recently been awarded the contract to train the BBC’s next generation of production talent. From this month [October 2022] seventy-five apprentices will be taking part in apprenticeship training that will cover the end-to-end production cycle from idea generation to pitching; and pre and post-production.

The apprentices will be working across the UK on a number of BBC radio and television programmes including flagship soap EastEnders. Others will also have the opportunity to gain experience working with teams from BBC News, BBC Radio, BBC Arts Music and Events as well as the BBC’s Children’s channels.

Training is expected to take fifteen months, at the end of which, apprentices will have gained foundational knowledge of end to end production cycles and processes, taught by Bauer Academy’s industry professionals and further developed in the apprentices’ roles at the BBC. This end-to-end approach will ensure that all those taking part will have honed their production, professional and creative skills as they look to take their next steps in early 2024.

There are two apprenticeship standards available – Production Assistant Level 3 and Media Production Assistant Level 4. Between them they cover three internal schemes from the BBC including BBC Production Fast Track, BBC Production Management Fast Track and BBC Hub. BBC Hub is a pilot currently being tested in the West Midlands for a wide range of creative, gaming, cultural and digital businesses in the area; creating apprenticeship opportunities in a scheme that is co-ordinated and managed by the BBC.

Courtnay McLeod, Academy Director – Bauer Academy said:

“Bauer Media shares the BBC’s ambition to ensure high quality apprenticeships provide the UK’s creative industries with world class talent development. Bauer Academy is delighted to be delivering the BBC’s Production apprenticeship schemes, including apprentices joining the BBC Hub on flexi-apprenticeships. We are excited to be providing training to such a diverse and talented group of apprentices, and we are fully committed to ensuring every learner achieves their full potential.”

Daniell Morrisey, Editorial Portfolio Manager for the BBC, added:

“The BBC is making a huge contribution towards apprenticeships in the creative sector. We look forward to continuing our Level 3 Production Fast Track and Level 4 Production Management Fast Track Apprenticeship schemes as part of our portfolio of Editorial schemes and plans to reach 1,000 apprentices across the BBC by 2025.”