What a busy year we've had in 2024. We finished our ScreenSkills PAUTV programme. We've run 44 courses, training a total of 564 individuals including on the ScreenSkills bitesize courses and some bespoke courses, Plus 207 attendees for our webinars. This now brings our total number of trainees to over 2,500 since we started in 2020 which is an amazing achievement.

I’m expecting baby number 2 which is due at the start of May.

I’m planning to work up until the 21st March and then head off on maternity leave.  I’m planning to return in September to run a few short ScreenSkills courses and will schedule our additional courses and one to ones from October onwards. 

We're absolutely thrilled to see that Isha Krishnan has been named as a 2024 Broadcast Hotshot in production management.

She was a in-house trainee with the Glasgow cohort on our ScreenSkills Production Coordinator Training Programme for Unscripted TV that took place in 2022 - 2023.

We’re already halfway through 2024 and it’s come to that time of year again where I celebrate my company’s birthday and this year it’s my 4th birthday!

We had such a busy year training a total of 902 individuals, running a total of 62 courses over the past year. I’m also pleased to have supported 18 individuals over the past year to achieve their career goals through one to one sessions as I’m passionate about helping individuals to start or progress in the industry.

This group is for training providers who provide training within the UK screen industries. It can be very lonely and you can feel isolated running your own training company. This group allows us to come together to support each other, share experiences and ask questions of our fellow training providers.

I had a chat with Tom Dix, host of the 'Getting into TV' podcast all about writing a CV for TV, interviews, your first day on a job, keeping going during the down times and the need for more production managers.

As we had so many applications through for the ScreenSkills and Media Career Advice Production Assistant Training Programme for Unscripted TV, we’ve been unable to provide individual feedback, but have listed some generalised feedback for the application and interview stages of the programme.

What a busy year we've had in 2023. We finished our PCUTV programme and started our PAUTV programme. We've run 62 courses, training a total of 851 individuals including on the ScreenSkills bitesize courses and some bespoke courses. This now brings our total number of trainees to over 2,000 since we started in 2020 which is an amazing achievement.

May 2023 saw us come to the end of running the ScreenSkills Production Coordinator Training Programme for Unscripted TV. It was a very exciting and ambitious programme that provided successful applicants with training, mentoring and up to 12-months’ worth of placements working in an unscripted TV production company. It had a regional focus with trainees from 7 media hubs across the UK including Cardiff, Bristol, London, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds & Belfast.

I am so excited to announce a brand new training course, that helps to improve your management skills by incorporating coaching and mentoring skills into your management. This interactive session addresses the softer skills that will help you become the most effective manager you possibly can be by incorporating coaching and mentoring skills into your management style. Coaches and mentors support their clients to effect growth and change whether in skills, knowledge, attitude or behaviour and as managers using some of their skills, you can do the same.

I can’t believe it’s been 3 years since I set up Media Career Advice. It does feel like I’ve become well established now and I couldn’t imagine not running my courses and career advice sessions, but it also feels like it’s gone by really quickly. I am still so passionate about supporting individuals to improve their knowledge and skills in the industry and support them in their careers, whether that’s getting their first role in the industry or progressing up the career ladder.

It was my ambition when I first moved into training, to work with ScreenSkills as, in my opinion, they are the industry leaders in providing training and support to those looking to get into the industry as well as those who already work in the industry. To my amazement, they contacted me in late 2020, a few months after I launched my company, to see if I could run some of my production training, but as bitesize versions.

I spent a lovely day at the celebration event for Cult Cymru’s ‘Mentoring 4 Screen’ scheme last Saturday. I was lucky to be selected as a mentor when the scheme first started back in 2020/2021. I had the pleasure of mentoring two freelancers through the scheme. Both were looking to make a move in their career and it was incredibly rewarding to be able to guide them through their move and see them progress.

Part of the reason why I love working in production roles, is that every day you learn something new. I’ve always loved learning, ever since I was young. So turning up to work each day and having to find out new things I hadn’t come across before was right up my street. Whether it was learning how to use systems like Silvermouse and Albert or finding out how to apply for visas or why they needed certain items of kit. It gives me great satisfaction to find out new things and implement them on productions.

I can’t believe how quickly this has come around, but I’m celebrating the 2nd birthday of Media Career Advice on the 3rd June!

I can’t quite comprehend what a busy and incredibly exciting year it’s been. I’ve had the chance to run many short courses including my 1 & 2-day courses and 2hr courses with ScreenSkills, plus do a handful of talks and one to one advice sessions.

I’ll be heading off on maternity leave on the 24th June.

I’ll be planning to return to run some ScreenSkills short courses in December.

I’ve got some extremely exciting news coming soon! In the meantime I am looking to hire two individuals to join my team to help deliver a new ScreenSkills funded programme.

I’m looking for applications for a part-time Admin Assistant and a part-time/full-time Placement Co-ordinator.