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Claire Prosser Bursary Award- My Work Experience with the �� in London

2017-12-07T11:34:34+00:00

“As the first recipient of the Claire Prosser Bursary Award, your university fees will be taken care of and you’ll be doing lots of work experience. Your first week is with the ��......in London.”

“I’m sorry, I think you’ve dialled the wrong number.”

As it transpired, The National Council for the Training of Journalists hadn’t dialled the wrong number, and so, here I am, one year on from that phone call, with a Masters in Journalism under my belt, desperately trying to select one special, distinguishing memory from my week long stint at the ��.

I figured I could talk about being unusually quiescent, hunkered beside reporter, Katie Razzall, barely daring to breath, as she seamlessly added the finishing audio touches to the 7 month long Panorama investigation, “Cadet Abuse Cover Up.” The scale of which, it has been said, is likely to rival similar scandals, such as that of Jimmy Saville and the Catholic Church.

Or, perhaps, I could regale you with tales of being invited to become an honorary member of the Jeremy Vine radio show team, and tell you how I tried, with palpable desperation, to retain an air of reticence, composure and professionalism......it’s not everyday you get to hang out with someone whom you have always admired from a distance.

But for me, being sent out on location to Grenfell Towers post 14th June 2017, was an experience that will remain etched in my mind for a very long time.

On this day, I saw in practice, how good journalism collates raw and upsetting facts, identifies the fundamental who, what, where and when questions and delivers them in a clear and concise manner to their audience.

In effect, I learned that good journalism tells a story, it is able to assimilate the big truths, and quickly reconcile the ego when the facts don't tally with that truth.

An opportunity to be part of a group of people reporting on the aftermath of a tragedy of this magnitude required a level of humility, sensitivity and understanding that can’t be taught in a lecture theatre.

I was acutely aware that being in North Kensington, in the weeks that followed that awful night, listening to members of a community overwrought with grief and anger, was a privilege that is not afforded to many journalists who are still very much earning their stripes. But that is exactly the legacy that Claire’s family have carved in her honour.

It leaves me beyond humbled to know that a woman I have never met, and never will, has cleared a pathway of prospects, that for me and others in similar situations, would quite simply, otherwise, be unattainable.

Work Experience: Avez Ahmed on working with the �� Academy, and how it helped to shape his future aspirations

2017-07-26T13:24:13+00:00

Before getting work experience at the �� Academy I was looking for full-time work. Due to my lack of experience, I was being turned down fairly often and thought that if I got some work experience at different organisations I might become more employable.

Despite having a passion for media, having written scripts, articles and even made a few short videos, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would get work experience at the ��. But I was recommended via by my local Job Centre, applied online and here I am!

In the application I wrote as honestly as I could about my passion for media and was offered place with the �� Academy in Birmingham. The New Talent Team recruit entry level employees and despite having only ten days of work experience, those ten days were memorable and I did a lot, much more than your average work experience placement. I learned that you’ve got to have a lot enthusiasm, flexibility and determination with a good work ethic. I was surprised to see that at the �� new ideas are constantly being considered, thrown out and revised.

At a MediaCityUK #bbcgetin event

I had the pleasure of taking part in Get In events; these events catered mainly for school leavers and university graduates with the aim of interesting them in the �� trainee schemes and apprenticeships. I participated in three of these, and one took me to Media City UK in Salford. This was the first time I had ever been out of Birmingham, and so it was a memorable day for me! I spent some time with one of the Academy’s online digital content producers and even had the opportunity to write three articles which were given constructive criticism as to how I could improve my writing.

I also learned how to transfer videos internally across the ��. There is definitely a strong hands-on approach when working at the �� Academy - you don’t just make the tea. I also worked on a database using MS Excel and was taught how subtitle videos.

With all this experience under my belt and with a much better understanding as to how the �� Academy works, I will be more the than likely applying for the Production Apprentice Scheme. Thank you very much for the opportunity �� Academy!

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Claire Prosser Bursary Award- My Work Experience with the �������� in London

Work Experience: Avez Ahmed on working with the �������� Academy, and how it helped to shape his future aspirations

Claire Prosser Bursary Award- My Work Experience with the �� in London

Work Experience: Avez Ahmed on working with the �� Academy, and how it helped to shape his future aspirations