For students on MAC 273 (2011-12)

1. PLACEMENTS
What you need to do and what we can do to
help you…

2. Why do a placement?
• Nearly half the workforce said that they
had done unpaid work in the industry at
some point – 45%. More than half the
workforce in some sectors said they had
done so, including other content creation,
independent production, broadcast radio,
post production, studio/equipment hire,
animation, other interactive media, and
corporate production. Over half of BAMEs
also reported having done some unpaid
work.
• Skillset, Workforce Survey 2008

3. Where can I go? What can I do?

4. Do I get any credits for a placement?
•YES
• MAC 273 is used to give you course credit for the
placement. You can’t pass it until you do a placement.
• You need to provide evidence and give a presentation on
your placement:
• Week commencing: January 23rd 2012
• Week commencing: May 14th 2012
• Week commencing: September 3rd 2012

5. What you need to do
• Think about:
• Sector?
• Role?
• Location?
• Contacts?
• Contact employers
• Check out how they take applications
• Network
• Do something about it now

6. Getting going…
• Prepare your CV and covering letter
• Contact employers
• Be specific
• Follow up letters, emails etc.
• Be persistent
• Use your contacts
• You can do more than one placement
• You should be doing something with Spark anyway

7. • Weekly Masterclasses
• Royal Television Society
Be more
• Radio Academy “media aware ”
• Student Radio Association
• Media Guardian • Ask yourself:
• BBC College of Production
• How many of these
• Radio 4’s “The Media Show”
have I engaged with?
• Broadcast Magazine
• What do I think about
• Edinburgh Television Festival
the content I consume?
• Radio Festival & Academy
• what do I know about
the industry?

8. • An online advice
• database of contacts What we
• “Foot in the Door” Facebook group
can do to
• CV and application
help you
Placement Officer:
Carole.Machin@sunderland.ac.uk
Module Leader:
Richard.Berry@Sunderland.ac.uk

9. Web Link
• www.mediaworking.tumblr.com