During my time at Bath Spa University, I definitely noticed a shift in mindset towards my final year, which was predominantly caused by a last-minute panic as to what life would entail after I graduated. After this epiphany, I thought I better make some moves and get myself sorted. Being a student without a placement year meant that I had to take matters into my own hands, to gather the work experience that all employers are after for any entry-level job.

Opportunities don’t come as easily in the real world. However, if you’re actively looking, the opportunities pop out right in front of you. Especially being at university with all the resources and support around us, all you have to do is become a “yes-person”.

Opportunities are constantly being posted on the Careers page, Facebook groups and LinkedIn, as well as lecturers with the inside scoop as to what’s happening in the industry at that moment in time. Depending on your priorities, this is the best time to snatch up these opportunities, whilst you are still studying and learning.

In November 2023, I was lucky enough to be offered a position with the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) in Paris for a camera operating training program in preparation for the Olympics in 2024. I applied on a whim and completely forgot that I made the application a few weeks later, as I didn’t think that I’d be selected to participate. Fortunately, the dates of the programme fell during reading week, and I had just received my student loan, so off I went on a short trip to Paris! This program was aimed at women to encourage and promote female camera operators and women in technical roles, led by Karen Mullins- Director of Production Management at OBS. I was also trained by Aurelie Gonin, a filmmaker, photographer, and journalist. They were both very friendly and lovely to work with, and it was a great opportunity to make contacts with them to broaden my network in the industry.

Not only this, but the other women who attended the training were already in the industry with far more professional experience, working mostly as producers or camera operators in various jobs, so it was good to get to know everyone and gain knowledge from them. It was heavily emphasised that “networking is working”. They said that one of the reasons that women don’t do so well getting jobs in the industry is because they don’t network as much as our male counterparts, so getting to know everyone there was extremely beneficial for me and may help me in the future.

Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for other interesting opportunities that would be of benefit to me. For example, working with the production company at the University, Iris, and going on location around the area to shoot Outside Broadcasts. These are easy and simple ways to gain experience on the job, as you always learn something new and get to watch entertaining performances that you usually wouldn’t get to see.

I’ve taken up some commercial client work in my spare time, which came to me via LinkedIn, where a CEO reached out to me in search of a freelancer who would help produce a series of adverts for his client. Even though I knew I had a lot of uni work to get done, of course I said “yes” as it was another experience to add to the list. If you enjoy what you do and do a good job, you will be asked back, which is the best possible outcome for a freelancer who is continuously searching for work.  

Another great opportunity that arose during my time at BSU was when I got to script supervise and assist production for a broadcast of Prom Praise at the Royal Albert Hall. What a ‘pinch me’ moment when you get the chance to work in a real, live and professional environment. It feels like a sense of accomplishment and a step in the right direction when you can apply what you have been taught in the classroom to a real-world situation within the industry. Not only was it another professional credit that I can show off on job applications, but also a way to gain knowledge by networking with industry professionals on the team, not to mention the crazy, chaotic and thrilling day.

The main takeaway out of this blog is, if you’re like me, panicking at the thought that you need to gather experience in the industry before you make any job applications, do not stress. There are plenty of opportunities out there if you search for them. Agree to everything. Learn. Network. Remember to make good impressions, as the main way to get your foot in the door is by being in the right place at the right time.