Arts officers, producers and directors

You could take a degree or postgraduate course at university to get into the industry.

Courses include:

• film or television production
• broadcast production
• filmmaking
• directing
• drama
• TV, film and theatre studies

You may find it useful to take a filmmaking or media production course that helps you to build practical skills and make contacts in the industry.

Relevant courses include:

• film and television production
• performing and production arts
• creative and digital media
• T Level in Media, Broadcast and Production

You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

• creative media production
• film and television production
• filmmaking
• drama or theatre studies
• business

Courses that include practical skills and work placements may give you an advantage when looking for work.

You could take a college course, which would teach you some of the skills needed to apply for trainee positions with a production company.

Courses include:

• film and television production
• creative media production and technology
• creative and digital media
• T Level in Media, Broadcast and Production

You could do a degree in film or television production before applying for work with a production company.

You'll find it helpful to take a course that includes practical skills and work placements, which will give you the chance to make industry contacts.

You could start by doing a college course, which may help you to get a job as a production assistant or runner. Courses include:

• creative media production
• film and television production
• T Level in Media, Broadcast and Production

With experience, and further training, you could move on to become a producer.

You could apply for a place on a Production Assistant - Screen and Audio Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

This can take between 1 and 2 years to complete. It combines on-the-job training and time spent with a college or learning provider.

You could do a higher national diploma or degree in radio or broadcast media production, though this is not essential.

Degree courses that include practical broadcasting experience through industry placements or internships may give you an advantage. You could also volunteer to work on your university radio station during your degree.

You could do a college course, which would give you some of the skills and knowledge needed to get a trainee position.

Courses include:

• creative media production and technology
• sound engineering
• T Level in Media, Broadcast and Production

You can apply to do a Production assistant - Screen and Audio Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, or a Junior Production Co-ordinator Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

These will help you to develop the skills you need to work in radio, or the media industry more generally.

An apprenticeship can take between 1 and 2 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and study.

Competition for jobs is strong. Employers will expect you to have practical experience and be able to show you have a real enthusiasm for radio broadcasting.

You can get useful work experience through:

• community, hospital or student radio
• volunteer placements with radio stations

You can get a list of radio stations from:

• Community Media Association
• RadioCentre
• Hospital Broadcasting Association

You can also apply for BBC taster days and work experience placements.

You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in stage management, or a related subject like:

• performing arts production
• theatre studies
• stage management and technical theatre

You can search for approved courses through the Stage Management Association and the Federation of Drama Schools.

You could do a college course, for example:

• production arts practice - technical theatre and stage management option
• technical and production practice for the creative industries
• drama and theatre

The skills you'll learn on these courses could help when you look for a trainee stage manager job with a theatre or production company.

You may find openings for technical apprenticeships, which could lead into stage management, as your career develops.

You could contact theatres directly to see if they have any apprenticeship training opportunities available.

Some of the larger theatres run their own schemes, for example the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.

You may be able to move into stage management after training as an actor. You could also work your way up if you have several years' experience as a:

• backstage theatre technician
• deputy stage manager
• stagehand

You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma, degree or postgraduate course in:

• film and television studies
• media production
• film and media
• creative media arts

You could do a college qualification to learn some of the practical skills needed to use editing equipment and software.

Courses include:

• creative media production
• film and television production
• digital media
• art and design
• T Level in Media, Broadcast and Production

You can apply for a place on an apprenticeship with a production company. Apprenticeships include:

• Production Assistant - Screen and Audio Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Post Production Technical Operator Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship

Getting hands-on experience is a great way to improve your skills and make contacts with people who work in the industry. Not all jobs are advertised, so your contacts could help you learn about opportunities for paid work.

You could get relevant experience from:

• editing student or community film productions
• working for an editing equipment hire company
• creating and editing films for charities
• editing clips and videos on social media platforms
• working on entries for short film festivals

You can also search for film and TV companies to approach for experience through media business listing services like PACT and The Knowledge.