Production Assistant Review

Item: Production Assistant at BBC
Rating: 4.5
Author: Anonymous

at BBC

Level 3 Apprenticeship

Journalism and Publishing

Swindon, Wiltshire

Review Submitted: April 2025

Overall Rating

4.5 /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!

5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

4.2/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

5/5

My role is a Production Assistant for BBC Music Introducing. I help produce two different Introducing shows, so I work closely with the presenters to ensure everything is produced and prepared to a high standard each week. I also present features every week on the show, including interviews with artists and my own music tips.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

5/5

I really enjoy my programme. It was difficult to get here and everyday I feel very lucky to be pursuing my career goals. I love discovering new music and delivering this to new audiences.
The apprenticeship team have been really supportive through the whole journey so far, and the training has been informative and educational.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

I have learnt a lot of new skills. Communication, creativity, perseverance.
I have learned how to edit audio, write scripts and put radio on air. I've also learnt camera skills, how to create podcasts, and all the ways in which a local BBC station operates. To name a few!

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

5/5

The programme is well structured, with a great balance between placement time (our usual day-to-day role) alongside training and gaining extra opportunities.
Upon beginning the apprenticeship, we were given all relevant information very clearly and there was a really high level of support to everyone.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

5/5

A lot! Sometimes there's confusion as my official line manager works at a different base and therefore I don't know who to report to. However there is always somebody who I can talk to.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

3/5

A fair amount of support. I'd say the training could be better as sometimes it is quite disorganised and rushed. The content is always interesting but could be delivered in a more engaging way, ensuring that everyone understands rather than generalised in the whole group.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

4/5

I'd say it helps. We learn the theory of production, which then can be applied to everyday tasks. For instance, all of the KSBs in theory apply to tasks we're doing.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

4/5

There's some social activities at my office. I'm not aware of sports teams. From my understanding the apprentices at the larger bases like London and Salford have more opportunities like social events. But my cohort socialises on Whatsapp and have become great friends. I got to hang out with a few at the Introducing Away Day recently.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend BBC to a friend?

Yes

Why?

The BBC is a great organisation to work for and I feel very proud to be a part of such a pillar of British culture. They treat staff fairly and offer many levels of support. There are opportunities to progress and develop and everyone who works there seems to be passionate about what they do.