North West media talent wanted!
An innovative multi-platform media production course that helps young people to break into the industry is inviting talented individuals across the North West to apply to the scheme.
The Northern Lights programme is funded by Northwest Vision and Media, which works on behalf of the digital and creative industries throughout the region. The four-week programme has been commissioned to run in November, following a successful pilot earlier this year.
Sixteen new entrants to the sector will be selected to work with industry partners, Made in Manchester, the BBC, Mando Group and Milky Tea, where they will gain specialist training in TV, Radio, Gaming or Digital Interactive working.
The successful applicants will then apply these skills to one of four live industry multi-platform briefs, with selected students being offered the opportunity to continue their involvement through a placement in one of the four partner companies.
The course is once again being run by Moira Kean and Andrew Thomas. Moira has recently left the BBC with over 25 years of production and training experience. Andrew was previously eBusiness Director at parenting club Bounty, and has over ten years interactive sector experience in the North West.
Andrew Thomas said: “Multi-platform is today’s media buzzword - computer games spawn feature films, TV programmes launch music careers and social networks form the new hubs for boutique video content.
“How does a media industry that traditionally recruited and trained along clearly segmented channels find the talent to develop the ideas of tomorrow? Northern Lights is aimed at helping develop talented individuals to thrive in such environments.”
Former Northern Lights trainee Phill Hetherington explains: “Before I took part in the pilot for the Northern Lights scheme, I was unhappy in my job, with seemingly no prospects of things getting any better. Participating in the programme, and meeting so many talented people who were so generous with their time and expertise, was inspirational and turned my life around.
“Not only did it expose me to a wide variety of creative industries, but it also equipped me with some of the skills I needed to follow my chosen path. Its taken alot of hard work and dedication, but I’m now on a placement with a video games developer - made possible by Northern Lights.
“If you’re thinking about a career in the media and you don’t know where to start, I can’t think of a better place.”
The programme begins on 2nd November and candidates are now invited to apply. Closing date for applications is Friday 25th September. Application forms can be downloaded from www.northernlightstraining.co.uk.
