Training schemes and opportunities for women in the media industry
Despite the fact that women have made significant inroads in the media industry over the past few decades, they are still woefully underrepresented in many key positions. One way to help address this issue is through training schemes specifically designed to support and promote women in the industry. These training schemes can provide financial assistance, mentorship opportunities, and much-needed training and development support.
They can also help to raise awareness of the issue of gender inequality in the media industry and encourage more women to pursue careers in this field. With more women training and working in the media industry, we can begin to see a more balanced and representative representation of women in the media.
BBC Expert Woman
The BBC has a program called “Expert Woman” that was launched in order to tackle the gender gap between male and female experts in broadcasting. In fact, there are four times as many men than women who often appear on air or contribute for this media outlet! Now they’re looking out towards hiring more ladies with expertise from any field so we can get an even balance of knowledge across all sectors.
The program is a collaboration between the BBC Academy and Broadcast Magazine, supported by BBC Diversity, Creative Skillset, Channel 4, Sky, ITV and more from the broadcast industry. Women from any area of expertise are encouraged to apply, and are then shown on the programs YouTube channel in order to boost the number of female contributors in broadcasting. You can click here to see their YouTube channel, their videos cover various topics from technology, to law, natural history to medicine and more.
This program offers training schemes which offer advice as well as networking opportunities for women in the industry.
Rise
Originally called ‘Female sin the Broadcast Industry’ (FBI), Rise is a non-profit group for gender diversity within the broadcast technology sector. After conducting a survey which clearly revealed a lot of misrepresentation of women in the sector, Sadie Groom decided to found this organisation to increase female representation in the industry.
They don’t offer traditional training schemes, but they are definitely worth a mention as they offer workshops, talks, meetings and networking sessions for women who want to enter the industry or grow professionally. They have also launched the first UK based mentoring scheme for women in operations, engineering, sales, marketing and business roles in broadcasting. The women gain mentorship and helpful advice from experienced professionals.
Their website states that their “recent survey, in partnership with the IABM, showed that males occupy more C-level positions, women earn significantly less money and the industry is 83% white”, and this is exactly what they’re trying to change, but encouraging diverse talent to pursue careers in the media industry.
The Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme
The Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme is not one of the training schemes specifically for women, but it is supported and promoted by Cinemamas, an online platform for mothers working in the film industry. So we are assuming that the scheme caters to women and encourages their participation.
Their training schemes are designed for people who want to work behind the camera in High End TV drama and film. It is taught over 10 online workshops, providing the participants with a wide range of professional training and support to help them become successful freelancers in the industry. They cover topics such as CV and cover letter writing, interview skills, negotiation skills. networking and career planning, all essential skills to develop when entering the industry, and ones which many universities won’t teach you.
In order to be eligible for this training scheme you must be a UK resident with 2 professional credits in your chosen department, but no more than 3 years experience. You also cannot be in education during the scheme.
Pact Diversity Scheme
There are not many training schemes which specifically train women, but there are many training schemes which aim to encourage diversity in the media industry. Pact, based in London and Scotland, strongly believes that the film and TV sector should reflect the full diversity of the UK, and women, particularly women of colour have often been left out of this representation. This is why training schemes like this one are essential.
The Pact Indie Diversity Scheme is specifically aimed at entry-level creatives, for those who have university level degrees and those who do not. The scheme includes a 6 month placement with a production company, giving the trainees real professional experience and the opportunity to develop their skills in the field. They are also given a mentor within that company and receive training in camera operating, copyright, storytelling and more from the Indie Training Fund.
Pact do not only help individuals with their careers, they also advise companies and provide them with resources and toolkits to increase their diversity. They are very proactive with their approach and determined to see a change in the sector.
The media industry is one of the biggest and most influential forces in our society, yet it has historically been dominated by men. For decades, women were largely underrepresented or even excluded entirely from mainstream media. Finally, recent years have seen a shift in this dynamic, as the media industry has finally begun to recognise the need for greater female representation.
This recognition has manifested itself in a variety of training initiatives designed to help women gain ground in this traditionally male-dominated field. From new mentorship programs to targeted training programs, more and more women are being given the opportunity to succeed in the media industry and make their voices heard. Thus, while there is still a long way to go before true equality is achieved, we are finally beginning to see some real change in this key sector.
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The media industry is constantly evolving, and it can be difficult to keep up with the latest changes. That’s why we recommend checking our website regularly for updates. Whether you’re interested in tv, film, or broadcast, we’ll have the latest news and information. And we’ll always be on the lookout for new and exciting developments in the media industry, so you can be sure you’re getting the most up-to-date information possible.
Check back every Monday for more articles by Nostairway about women in film, TV and broadcast. We also have similar blogs about training courses for adults, graduate training schemes London and other useful skills for the industry.
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