Apprenticeship Week – My Apprenticeship
My name is Kara and I’m a Junior Content Producer at Corsham Institute. I help plan, film and edit videos, create animations and graphics to support the work done at Corsham Institute. I’m also learning about creating interactive media such as games and VR content.
I chose the apprenticeship pathway as it offered the work-based learning and office experience I was looking for, as well as providing an opportunity to learn new skills and gain a qualification. I had already completed a University degree in Animation, so I also wanted a job that would allow me to apply the skills I had learnt to a work environment. Ci has allowed me to build a portfolio of client-based animation work as well as building skills in new areas, such as live action filming and editing.
Ci appealed to me because I was interested in the type of work they’re doing around digital skills and the future of the tech world and I enjoy the variety of projects I get to work on via my apprenticeship. One day I’ll be filming, the next editing and then I might be working on an animated graphic, such as the video I created for our House of Lords event. The chance to build all of these skills is really valuable. I also appreciate the support we’re given from Ci, as even though we’re still learning our roles, our co-workers respect our skills and listen to the feedback we give, which makes me feel like a real member of the team.
After my apprenticeship I’d like to continue to work in content creation, maybe moving more towards games and interactive content. This apprenticeship is helping prepare me for future careers both from a technical skills point of view and by helping me experience the softer skills side. Things such as writing emails, planning projects, communicating with colleagues, managing budgets, risk assessments, are all valuable skills that help prepare me for the rest of my career. Technically I’ve learnt about many content creation areas and also had the chance to work with new technology, such as the VR lab at Bristol University, through Ci’s industry links.
Some of the highlights of things I’ve worked on so far would be interviewing local artists for our Peacock Arts Trail video series, creating a video for Jamie’s Farm, and being able to experience VR software and training sessions. I’ve also really enjoyed filming and editing the TEDx Corsham event.
I would recommend apprenticeships as a good way to get into the industry if you know what career path you’d like to pursue as you get to learn relevant skills, develop a portfolio and build experience that will benefit you throughout your career.
