BBC London joins with Bernie Grant Centre to create technicians
course
16
students from ethnic minority backgrounds start this week at the
College of North East London on one of the first technical courses
specifically designed for people wanting to work in the broadcast
media. BBC London and the Bernie Grant Centre have joined together
to create a technical course aimed at those who want to work in
tv, radio and online.
The
idea for the course came from a press conference attended by the
late Bernie Grant MP who observed that whilst broadcasters had all
sent their black journalists to the press conference, all of the
crew were white - pointing out the lack of diversity in the broadcast
technical sphere.
The
three month pilot course has been designed to teach participants
not just how to use technical equipment, but to give them hands
on experience in a broadcast environment. The students begin work
at the college this week and then undertake work placements at BBC
London, working on specific projects in tv, radio or online. Each
student will be placed with a BBC London mentor and BBC London will
assist with tutoring the course and by sending specialised equipment
to the college to enable students to get first hand experience of
working with state of the art equipment.
Adrian
Miller, Production Editor at BBC London says: "What we want
is to give each student an opportunity to have their work broadcast
- on tv, on air or online. They’ll have the opportunity to
specialise in their field of interest, whether that’s camera
operating, editing or working with Dreamweaver. But the main thing
is that they’ll have the chance to see their work through to
transmission."
Sharon
Grant, widow of the late MP, and Chair of the Bernie Grant Centre
project, says: "The BBC is to be congratulated. This is about
taking real action to combat institutional racism, and we have been
delighted at the seriousness with which this project has been viewed."
It
is anticipated that BBC London will fund attachments to two successful
students at the end of the course.
Notes
to Editors
Discussions
are taking place with Skillset regarding course accreditation. The
pilot scheme has been funded by the London Development Agency.
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