This year the MGEITF Talent Scheme celebrates and milestone birthday. For 20 years The Network (formerly TVYP, Television and Young People) has provided young people wanting to break into TV with one of the greatest opportunities to gaining first hand knowledge, contact with professionals within the industry.
TV has to day the same pull and draw for young people as it had 20 years ago when The Network was created. The one thing that is different now is that competition for for those jobs is higher with some discouraging factors hindering the choice and chance for many gifted people from ‘under represented backgrounds’. What The Network aims to do is address this with four days of masterclasses, career surgeries, and hands on training in all aspects of the industry. This is all free for the successful applicants.
This year The Network will be held at the Skillset Screen and Media Academy at Edinburgh Napier University. Last year the group got to see a unique insight into an area that is often closed off to them and the rest of the delegates seemed only to happy to show their support and appreciation for their drive and passion.
Joe Godwin, Directos of BBC Childre’s & Chair of The Network Committee said:
“I’m proud of The Network’s long track record in introducing young people to the world of television – so many of our delegates go on to great things. We are attracting the best names in TV to come and work with these new entrants and we continue to work towards securing a creative, diverse and representative workforce which reflects the TV audience.” The Network has the most important ingredient that keeps it alive and that is people like Joe who are not just passionate about what they can do but deliver it tenfold.
From the Past
Some of the past delegates have been Ore Oduba, CBBC Newsround Presenter, Dragon’s Den Exec Producer Dominic Bird, Zig Zag CEO Danny Fenton, & Danny Wallace, XFM presenter.
With The Network celebrating it’s 20th birthday some special things are bound be planned for this years delegates. It is hard to explain sometimes how amazing and beneficial The Network is and what it offers young people who want to get into TV. If this is you then The Network is THE place to come, learn, meet, and take away an indelible life experience that is sure to fire you onto your path to TV.
