Apprentice Videographer Review

My daily tasks vary day-to-day, with most of my days involving editing using software such as Adobe After Effects, to filming in a variety of different locations up and down the country. I have also recently been involved in the creation of apps for a Totem using the software Unreal Engine, something that is very new to me.

I have learnt how to use a variety of new software, some of which I had never even heard of before, as before I started this apprenticeship I had only ever used Final Cut Pro - this has definitely made me learn to pick up new skills fast. I have also never worked in an office environment before, so I have had to adapt to managing my own time, something that doesn't tend to happen within retail.

I absolutely love the programme. The team over at All Spring are fantastic, and it is so interesting to hear their stories as they all have some kind of experience within the industry. I am also in a very mixed cohort, so I am able to network across a variety of different organisations, giving me skills that I am able to transfer onto my own work at Costain. Being able to go to college adds a bit of variety to my routine, and allows me to learn a variety of different things that perhaps aren't used at Costain, but will be useful throughout my entire career.

The programme has a great structure, and the use of OneFIle to house all of our work is great, as it means we are able to access it from anywhere at any time. We cover a lot of varied topics, from audiences, to working with cameras, to editing to a deadline. My assessor makes regular monthly visits to my workplace, alternating between visits to just me, and progress reviews with my line manager as well, which is the perfect time to talk about how my college course can be transferred into my work.

My employer is really great in assisting with my apprenticeship. I regularly get emails from the L&D department to see how I am getting on and if there is anything they can assist with, and when I have coursework deadlines, I am giving time to do this within my working day (where possible).

All Spring are constantly accessible, through email, OneFile, or even their mobiles when urgent. You are able to send drafts of assignments to them and they will give you feedback to ensure that you are getting the best results. They also try to push us by giving us extension work if we want it, to work on in our spare time which is a great way to push forward with my qualification.

Each week at college has a different focus, and I feel that so far, every week has been something that I can use within my role. We focus on audience and what the audience will get from our film. We spent a week learning about filming styles, which definitely made me feel more confident when I had my first solo shoot, and we have also spent a week focusing on editing styles, which has definitely help with my editing for videos at work.

At work, we have a lot of different activities that are available. We regularly have lunch and learn sessions, where you go for an hour to hear about a certain topic with lunch provided, which can be a nice break away from your desk. They also run yoga sessions in the morning, which although I haven't attended myself, it would be a great way to ease yourself into the morning. The company also offer 2 volunteering days a year that can be used for whatever the individual would like.

Yes

I didn't;t expect to feel so comfortable in a company so quickly. Having only previously worked in retail, I thought it would feel like a massive jump to suddenly be working within an office. However, I was given so much support when I started, that it felt like a very smooth transition

I would say that even though they are a construction and engineering company, they offer so much more than that. I have met so many people with jobs that I didn't think fit within that sector (I suppose the same could be said about me) but you will constantly be meeting new people and learning new things, that perhaps you didn't think you would learn about within your role.