Junior Production Coordinator Apprentice for Children's & Education Review

My role as a JPC for Children's & Education included the production management of all content from long form to short form to audio to visual within the BBC Children's & Education teams. This included work for CBeebies (events, parenting, bedtime stories) CBBC (YouTube content, show promos, events), Bitesize (website incl. all forms of content e.g. articles, videos, animated and live action etc.). I would help the organisation and flow of each project from development through to distribution. Within this scheme, they offered me every opportunity possible, and balanced a portfolio by giving us opportunities to work in every team in the department by rotating us every few months to both network and gain skills on top of skills to advance us as much as possible. To date I have had the opportunity to work across the Bitesize Curriculum specific website, DMPP (Digital Media, Platforms and Planning e.g. YouTube, CBBC promo content), CBeebies Parenting, Careers-Campaigns and Events for Mini Campaigns and CBeebies Bedtime Stories, the CBeebies Bedtime Stories Editorial Team (in studio shoots) and Games (animated) etc. and I'm not even half way through my apprenticeship yet.

Incredible. We had our schedules to balance our learning weeks and in office hours organised and sorted for us before our first day by our lovely scheme specialists. Bauer Academy and BBC balance our learning with our on placement job by providing week long sessions differentiating between in-person and online with Bauer Academy in a cohort of other apprentices up and down the UK studying as a JPC for the BBC every couple of months. We would have to complete work during the sessions as well as assignments at the end of the week(s) which would be treated and marked as if our final EPA (final assessment) to get us into the routine early on of the marking style for our apprenticeship. Bauer Academy additionally worked extremely closely with the BBC to make sure there was a healthy balance between learning on the job and having time to complete additional work (DDT) that would contribute to our portfolio. This meant for example, having a dedicated day in the week to complete this DDT.

Again, incredible. My specific line manager for the Children's & Education cohort was incredible from learning support all the way to emotional support. She was able to provide both learning opportunities for us as well as providing regular check-ins to ensure we were doing ok both professionally but also wellbeing wise. From my experience of having ups and downs throughout my apprenticeship due to events outside of the apprenticeship, the way both my line manager at the BBC and tutor with Bauer Academy handled my situation whilst avoiding long-term disruption to my learning was impeccable. They offered additional support left right and centre which I will be forever grateful for whilst still supporting me as employers and mentors.

An impeccable amount. My tutor for Bauer Academy is brilliant. He worked, from the go, as close with our cohort's as possible to help us achieve our absolute maximum potential both professionally but educationally. The format of his lessons and assignments was amazing, especially as someone was accessibility needs. He gave us the safe space to learn from mistakes and improve ourselves at the end of it without judgement and with pure support. I'm sure this incredible behaviour and teaching style from my tutor will continue through to my final assessment.

Amazingly well. By having these learning weeks with Bauer Academy, it gives us a break from the office life and a space to focus solely on improving our set skills and characteristics as JPC's rather than trying to learn them on the job.

Yes

As someone who decided to take the apprenticeship route as an alternative to University, I would HIGHLY recommend BBC as a workplace and apprenticeship provider to anyone considering further education for a pathway into industry. Not only does the BBC provide every opportunity available to you from the get go, but the learning provider also supports you alongside your regular full-time placement by enhancing your skills more precisely and giving you the best chance to balance a full-time job with gaining a qualification.