The BBC is spearheading a Government-backed training drive for the
audio-visual industries.
The BBC Training and Development team, the world’s biggest provider of
broadcast coaching, has doubled its commitment to Skillset’s – the media NTO –
freelance training fund to £200,000.
Bob Nelson, BBC controller of development and training and chairman of
Skillset, believes the sector has to increase the professionalism of staff,
particularly freelancers who make up about 60 per cent of the industry.
He added that the training drive is also necessary to ensure the quality and
credibility of BBC broadcasting is maintained.
It follows the release of a report, Skills for Tomorrow’s Media, published
by the Audio-Visual Industries Training Group and backed by the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport.
It calls on all broadcasters to contribute to the training of freelancers
and to create stronger links with education.
Nelson said the broadcasting industry is becoming more interactive with the
convergence of computers, phones and television and, as a result, the BBC is
developing training solutions to reflect this, particularly through interactive
learning.
"We’re using the development of new media as a way of developing
people’s skills in the media," he said.
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He added that the training offered to BBC staff, such as journalism and new
media courses, will be offered to the wider market at a fair price.
The BBC spent £38m on training last year and coached 25,000 people,
including BBC freelancers.
