Careers Brief - Radio Production FdA
Overview
The Foundation degree in Radio Production offers you the opportunity of both transferring onto an Honours degree programme and direct job entry.
Employment within the radio industry has remained at a fairly constant level, despite changes and developments in the industry. There has been an expansion in commercial radio, gaining half the listening audience and developments in digital audio broadcasting.
Radio is a highly competitive career area. You will need good communication and research skills and apart from enthusiasm and commitment, relevant training and whatever work experience you can get, will improve your chances.
You could be working within the BBC local and national networks, commercial radio, independent production companies or freelance.
Use the website links below to find out more.
Further Study
You will be able to apply for a Top-up degree. Top-up degrees are designed as a direct progression from Foundation degree to achieve an Ordinary or Honours degree.
Alternatively, you could transfer into a related Honours degree. Entry point would depend on your grades, experience and overlap between courses but could be into the final year.
Go to the Links on HE Home for information on the BA (Hons) Radio Production Top-up degree at Bournemouth University (click on sub-heading 'Courses').
Other institutions offering Top-ups include:
University for the Creative Arts 'Broadcast Media'; University of Sunderland 'Radio'.
To search for degree courses go to www.ucas.com/ (UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK). Use the university/college links for course details.
You will need to use UCAS to apply for courses. Contact the Course Tutor of your chosen course to find out your position, before you make your formal application.
Find out how much this will cost you. Where is the funding coming from? Go to the university/college website for information on costs and finance and to www.direct.gov.uk/uni/ for additional help with student support.
With a good Honours degree (First or 2.1), you could progress onto an appropriate higher level Masters and/or PhD doctorate. This could be to develop your area of study to a more in-depth practical and/or academic level or to gain other specialist training.
For information on all postgraduate courses and research, go to the national online directory at www.prospects.ac.uk/links/pgstudy/ .
Go to the main section on Further Study of this Guide for more information and help.
Resources
The Sector Skills Council for the Creative Media - Careers section
RadioCentre (UK Commercial Radio Stations) - drop down sub-heading 'Training' for How to 'Get into Radio'
The Radio Academy dedicated to the encouragement, recognition and promotion of excellence in UK broadcasting and audio production - drop down sub-headings 'Knowledge Bank' + 'News'
The Guardian newspaper online - key source for current media news and jobs
Jobs and Work experience placements
Media UK - online media directory, including jobs
www.guidance-research.org/future-trends/media/
Warwick Institute for Employment Research - 'Audio-visual industries' for 'radio'
Graduate Prospects - online national careers service for HE students studying in the UK:
- Drop down 'Careers advice' and click on 'Use your qualification; for 'Your foundation degree...what next?'
- Drop down 'Sectors' and click on 'Media'
- Drop down 'Jobs & work' and click on 'What jobs would suit me?' for Prospects Planner
http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk/
Careers database and links to jobs nationally. Search by either clicking on side-heading 'Careers' and choose a category or type in job title.
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/
Careers Advice Service
www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u
Jobs4U Careers Database - click on sub-heading 'Job Families & Articles' or Advanced Search by typing in job title
BECTU - The Media & Entertainment Union
Student Radio Association
HBA - Hospital Broadcasting Association
Women's Radio Group
The Radio Magazine
Broadcast - leading magazine for the broadcast industry
Go to the Job Applications section of this Careers Guide for additional help and advice with making applications.
