Trainee Finder will open recruitment on 28 October with at least 250 places available. , This is ScreenSkills’ highly-respected programme of paid placements for new entrants into film and children’s and high-end television. It is open to candidates with less than a year’s paid experience in their chosen role or department from a range of jobs where there are skills shortages.
Trainee Finder Webinar
Recruitment will kick off with a one-hour webinar at 6pm on 28 October hosted by the Trainee Finder teams and joined by current trainees who will talk about how the programme works and how it supports people into employment. Attendees will be able to ask questions and the event will be recorded to be made available afterwards for those unable to attend.
Trainee Finder trainees receive an induction into the industry which includes sessions that cover set etiquette, health and safety, mental health and wellbeing and being a freelancer alongside paid placements over the course of a year.
The programme is funded by contributions from productions to the ScreenSkills Skills Funds in children’s TV, film and high-end TV. Productions that contribute to the funds are encouraged to offer training opportunities to the trainees and receive a subsidy to support their salary.
History of Trainee Finder
The Trainee Finder programme has run since 2013 in its current form but started earlier in film. It has had notable success in matching participants on productions including films such as Fantastic Beasts, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and 1917, high-end TV including Sex Education, Shetland, Peaky Blinders, The Crown and All Creatures Great and Small and children’s TV including My Mum Tracy Beaker, Molly & Mack, and Andy and The Band.
Claire Anne Williams, a hair and make-up Trainee Finder alumnna, was this year named by Screen International on its 2021 list of UK and Ireland Stars of Tomorrow. Go to Stars of Tomorrow to read more.
You can read about the experience of other former Trainee Finder trainees on the website. They include:
- Rosie Bath, a costume trainee whose placements included No Time To Die
- Mellisa Harrison, art assistant who worked on Sex Education and Peaky Blinders
- Art department trainee Edwina Bowen who was placed with Hanna
- Sophia Mascarenhas on hair and make-up on 1917
- Annie Little, now an HETV Leader of Tomorrow in hair and make-up
- Costume trainee Aileen Kelly on her experience in children’s TV
- Ziggy Gray, a locations trainee who has since worked on Ammonite and Bridgerton
- Lauren Byrne on a career in camera with credits including Men in Black:International
- Amber Curtis on locations in children’s TV
- Former production trainee Emma Marie Cramb, now a Leader of Tomorrow
- Jennifer Harris on switching careers with the help of Trainee Finder
- Anna Alcock on working in costume for Killing Eve
- Third assistant director Charanprite Dhami on switching career
To Apply
Full details of criteria and how to apply will go live on 28 October with applications closing on 5 December.
Applications are particularly encouraged from those currently under-represented in the industry including disabled, Black, Asian and minority ethnic talent and those in the nations and regions, because we are committed to creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce.