An apprenticeship offers you the chance to learn and earn. They offer at least 12 months of training and apprentices spend 80% of their time doing the role in on-the-job training with an employer, and 20% of their time in formal learning with a training provider, college or university.
Please note that UK Screen Alliance does not offer apprenticeships, so please do not apply to us. You will need to contact employers in our sector to see if they are currently offering apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships are available at a variety of levels from GCSE equivalent to master degree. There is no upper age limit for who can be an apprentice and you can be an existing employee who is being up-skilled. Even if already have a degree, you can do an apprenticeship as long as it represents new learning.
If companies have a payroll larger than £3 million per year, they must pay the apprenticeship levy. They can draw on these levy payments to fund apprenticeship training. Non-levy paying employers can receive up to 95% of the training costs from the government or can be funded by a levy transfer from a levy paying employer. The UK Screen ALT scheme is designed to facilitate levy transfers.
All apprenticeships courses in England have to be approved by the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE). The course outline is called a “standard” and groups of employer called “Trailblazers” work together to develop new standards. In the last 12 months there has been a large increase in the number of standards available or in development for TV and Film
List of apprenticeship standards directly relevant to film & TV
| Apprenticeship | Level | Duration | Approval Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| VISUAL EFFECTS | |||
| Junior visual effects – VFX artist or assistant technical director | 4 | 18 months | Avaialble |
| VFX Technical Director | 6 | 24 months | Approved- awaiting providers |
| VFX Supervisor | 7 | 18 months | Approved- awaiting providers |
| ANIMATION | |||
| Junior Animator | 4 | 18 months | Available |
| Storyboard Artist | 7 | 18 months | Approved- awaiting providers |
| POST PRODUCTION | |||
| Post Production Technical Operator | 4 | 12 months | Available |
| Post Production Engineer | 5 | 24 months | Available |
| Assistant (audio) recording technician | 4 | 24 months | Available |
| PRODUCTION | |||
| Junior Content Producer | 3 | 12 months | Available |
| Broadcast Production Assistant | 3 | 12 months | Available |
| Media Production Coordinator | 4 | 18 months | Available |
| Creative Industries Production Manager | 7 | 18 months | Available |
| Junior Advertising Creative | 3 | 18 months | Available |
| ENGINEERING | |||
| Broadcast and Media Systems Technical Operator | 3 | 22 months | Available |
| Broadcast and Media Systems Technician | 5 | 24 months | Available |
| Broadcast and Media Systems Engineer (Degree) | 6 | 36 months | Available |
| Outside Broadcasting Engineer (Masters Degree) | 7 | 12 months | Available |
| Camera Prep Technician | 3 | 24 months | Available |
| PRODUCTION CRAFTS | |||
| Assistant Puppet Maker | 3 | 18 months | Available |
| Costume Performance Technician | 3 | 15 months | Approved- awaiting providers |
| Props Technician | 3 | 18 months | Available |
| Scenic Construction Technician | 3 | 30 months | Approved- awaiting providers |
| Scenic Artist | 3 | 24 months | Approved- awaiting providers |
| Hair, wigs, make-up and prosthetics technician | 3 | 24 months | Approved- awaiting providers |
| Scenic Automation | 3 | 24 months | Approved- awaiting providers |
