Journalism Advanced Apprentice Review
at BBC
Degree Apprenticeship
Journalism and Publishing
Birmingham
Review Submitted: April 2025
Overall Rating
3.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4/5
-
Overview of Role
4/5
-
Skills Development
3.2/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
Helping cover on-the-day news stories by producing TV/radio packages, online articles and social media posts
Working with planning to ensure there is content across the week or month, depending if there are special projects we are working on
Attending daily team meetings
Finding contacts for us to interview
Working with planning to ensure there is content across the week or month, depending if there are special projects we are working on
Attending daily team meetings
Finding contacts for us to interview
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
It is very rewarding, but takes a lot of hard work. It is quite easy to get burnt out and feel constantly behind. Sometimes, I have difficulty switiching off from work. However, it is amazing that no one day is the same. You get to meet so many amazing people and work with talented people, too.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
How to edit audio and video to broadcast standards
Improved writing skills for TV/radio scripts and articles
Ways of being creative with content
Making editorial decisions and thinking about how to approach legally comples situations
Being a team player and working with others
Improved writing skills for TV/radio scripts and articles
Ways of being creative with content
Making editorial decisions and thinking about how to approach legally comples situations
Being a team player and working with others
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
There's a lack of communication between apprenticeship managers and line managers, which mean you have to keep on top of informing everyone what's happening with your work and studies at all times. I had to organise a lot of my own placements with other teams. I feel that some of the training and placement dates were in the wrong order or at inconveninent times.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
There's always colleagues who are willing to help. Although I didn't have the best line manager, there were other people on my various teams I could turn to. I have been offered time off to complete my studies before, which was useful.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
The lecturers do as best they can, but it's hard learning over Zoom. Everything being online makes it difficult to engage with content. Revision sessions were just going through past papers sometimes, which was only useful up to a certain point. The in-person classes every few months were great.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
Learning new skills through my training has helped me improve a lot in the workplace. Having to do exams haa given me the basic grounding and knowledge needed to perform in my role. For example, doing Media Law to begin with meant I already knew about Rights of Reply.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
2/5
Where I am based, there is not a lot of extra curricular activities. There have been a few networking events. Social activities tend to happen with my friends at work rather than with full teams on a regular basis.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BBC to a friend?
Yes
Why?
There's a lot of opportunity for development. It feels like a place where you can be creative and try new things. The work is rewarding and it feels like you are making a difference to the community.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BBC?
Engage with the BBC's content, whether that's by listening to the radio, watching the news on TV or following social media accounts. Find your niche and use that to your advantage - for example, I was interested in women's issues and pitched a lot of stories around that.
