Member Article

Route to success for new North East TV talent

A new scheme to help people in the North of England forge a career in the television industry launches this week. Northern Routes will give successful applicants the opportunity to get hands on experience through a range of placement opportunities with recognised programme makers.

The initiative, aimed at nurturing and developing the industry workforce across the northern regions, is a partnership between the three northern regional screen agencies; Northern Film & Media, Screen Yorkshire, and Northwest Vision and Media, and supported by the training body for the audiovisual industries, Skillset.

Michael Grade, Chief Executive of ITV and Skillset Patron, says: “New talent is the lifeblood of a dynamic industry like ours. If we are to stay in touch with our audience demands we need an ongoing supply of fresh ideas, creativity and diverse perspectives. Structured trainee schemes like Northern Routes are one of the key industry responses to this issue and I’m very pleased that in one of ITV’s heartlands, the North, new talent will now have such an opportunity.”

Tom Harvey, Chief Executive of Northern Film & Media, said: “This is an invaluable opportunity for individuals to get experience and training with highly skilled, creative teams and make the contacts necessary to set them on a path to a successful career in the broadcast industry. “We must attract production executives to the region by building a strong, skilled and talented infrastructure, and by showcasing the world class locations and positive filming experience they can have here.”

The scheme is open to applicants aged 18 and over across the North East, North West and Yorkshire, who have a minimum of three months relevant industry experience through either paid or voluntary work. Participants will attend a series of workshops, prior to a 12-week work placement with a production company.

For more information and full application details, email northernroutes@screenyorkshire.co.uk or visit www.northernmedia.org.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .