Post-Production Technical Operator Higher Apprenticeship 2026

Post-Production Technical Operator Higher Apprenticeship 2026

COULD A BBC APPRENTICESHIP BE THE NEXT ROLE FOR YOU?

Join us as an apprentice at the BBC to give yourself the opportunity to kick-start your career in a job you'll love. We’re committed to your skills and talent development. You’ll learn on-the-job, developing your knowledge and skills in an area that interests you, while working towards your apprenticeship qualification with one of our learning providers.

WHY JOIN THIS SCHEME?

The BBC’s broadcast services are at the heart of communities across the UK; telling stories that matter to people, on TV, radio, online and via our wider digital services. Through this apprenticeship opportunity, you could be part of the next generation of highly skilled Post Production Technical Operators.

To find out more about the schemes we offer, you can register to join one of our webinars here.Please note that the webinar for this scheme takes place on Tuesday 21st October at 6pm.If you're unable to attend or have seen this after that date, keep an eye on our webinar playlist on Youtube here where the video will be uploaded.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM?

Natural History Unit (NHU) - Archives

BBC Studios is a world-renowned content studio and channels & streaming business, powered by British creativity, with a reach that touches audiences in every corner of the globe.The BBC Studios Bristol Archives team support Natural History Productions, and secure their media safely for the future. For every hour you see on television, hundreds more are filmed, and as technology changes we are constantly adapting to make sure that the best quality footage will remain safe and accessible. Our small team also work with productions across the rest of BBC Studios, in Comedy, Drama, Live Events and Factual, bringing our skills and knowledge to meet data retention policies.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

As a Post-Production Technical Operator apprentice (PPA26), this is brilliant opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute – you will gain experience in:

• Editing content for a variety of BBC platforms
• Digitising and managing content
• Delivering TX files to the playout provider, and keeping systems and applications accurately up to date
• Teamworking and communication skills, working as part of a varied team providing services, and talking directly to other departments across the BBC

You’ll study for your industry recognised apprenticeship qualification, learning both on and off the job. This involves attending blocks of teaching at London South Bank University, covering best practice for media ingest, storage management, media export, secure digital despatch, support for creative colleagues in content finishing and quality assessment of finished content. Modules include:

• Video technology
• Audio technology
• Metadata and timecode
• Codecs and files
• Edit assistant operations
• Networks and storage
• Data Conforming and finishing
• Quality Control
• Archiving and legacy technology

For more information on this apprenticeship standard please visit this link.

YOUR SKILLS AND ELIGIBILITY

We’re interested in your passion for working at the BBC and your enthusiasm for delivering world-class content and operational excellence to our audiences. We’re not focused on your qualifications; instead, we look for potential and offer you the opportunity to apply your transferable strengths and experience to work in different ways.

If you can bring some of these skills and experiences, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply:

• Passionate about media content
• Can work calmly under pressure
• Brilliant organisational skills and are great at problem-solving
• Can manage multiple deadlines and demands on your time
• Enthusiastic self-starter, flexible and adaptable to out-of-hours working

This scheme is aimed at non-graduates.If you have a degree and you’re interested in similar roles at the BBC, we recommend applying for jobs at the BBC careers site or having a look at our other apprenticeship schemes.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• Be 18 years old or over by the time the apprenticeship begins in September 2026
• Have lived in the UK continuously for the last 3 years prior to the start of the apprenticeship
• Be legally eligible to work full-time in the UK for the entire duration of the apprenticeship
• Not currently be enrolled in another apprenticeship programme, whether with the BBC or another organisation
• Not have completed or be working toward qualifications in the apprenticeship subject at level 4 or above
• For candidates under the age of 19 years on 8th September 2026: To complete the apprenticeship, you must have achieved Maths and English GCSE at Grade 4/C or above or National 5 (Scotland) at C or Functional Skills Level 2 or equivalent qualification. If you have not achieved these qualifications by the start of your apprenticeship, you will be required to achieve Functional Skills Level 2 before the end of your apprenticeship when you take your end-point assessment.

READY TO APPLY?

Don’t leave yourself wondering “what if?” this could be your chance to be part of something exciting. See yourself thriving in this role? Just click ‘Apply Now’!

You’ll create a candidate profile and answer a few questions - no CV or cover letter needed.

If you're eligible, we’ll guide you through the next steps of the process and what to expect.

This is a fixed-term apprenticeship - your contract lasts for the duration of the scheme. Once completed, you’ll be supported with career development, employability training, and networking opportunities to help you take your next step - whether that’s at the BBC or elsewhere in the industry.

You’ll need to live within a commutable distance of where this role is based. Interested in a different location? Check out our other adverts - but please only apply to one.

The BBC recognises that some people who are applying for a BBC Apprenticeship Scheme may need to relocate to a new location for the role and this might not be possible due to your personal financial constraints. Relocation support is offered to a limited number of apprentices each year and would be considered for this position, subject to meeting the relocation support qualifying criteria. Further details will be shared with applicants during the recruitment process. Details on the wider support available at the BBC can be found here.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Our apprenticeship roles are also subject to you having the require qualifications that we have deemed to be necessary for your role and the requirement of the training provider for your scheme. The offer would be subject to you undergoing and meeting the requirements of a skill scan process with the BBC nominated training provider to determine your eligibility.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

Information at a Glance

This is your BBC

At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world’s best loved content, and the BBC’s mission to inform, educate and entertain.

Life at BBC

• Excellent career and professional development.
• Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a 35-hour working week, 25 days annual leave (26 days for BBC Studios), a range of policies to support your work/life balance, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care and gym.
• A values-based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

As an Apprentice you will also receive:

• An industry recognised qualification.
• Industry-leading training through the BBC Academy and our learning providers (this may involve travel to locations across the UK).
• A dedicated Team Manager and Scheme Specialist to help with your development.
• Training and Mentoring by industry professionals.
• A bespoke BBC apprenticeship experience including apprenticeship development days and membership of the BBC Apprenticeship community.
• Employability and networking training and support to help you secure your next role.
• The opportunity to apply for financial support for relocation subject to eligibility.

You belong

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Diversity, inclusion & belonging strategy

Disability confident

We take inclusivity seriously and want to ensure all candidates who are disabled or have long-term health conditions receive the support and adjustments they need. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the recruitment process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via the Early Careers Recruitment contact form and we’d be happy to discuss how we can support you through the process.

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button. Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.