Co-ordinate productions using specialist production management skills, knowledge and experience.
Apprentices learn to coordinate the operational side of productions across film, TV, radio, audio, commercials, animation, and post production. Core training covers production logistics, scheduling, finance administration, copyright clearance, legal permissions, and safeguarding requirements. Apprentices then specialise in one of two pathways: production coordination (supporting the production manager across pre-production to delivery) or post production coordination (managing workflows, facility schedules, and deliverables within post, VFX, or animation environments). Both pathways develop practical skills in production documentation, database and scheduling tools, and client communication.
Week-to-week work varies by specialism. Production pathway apprentices typically organise transport, accommodation, equipment, contributor logistics, and permits, while maintaining schedules and production paperwork. Post production pathway apprentices act as the first point of contact for projects, tracking workflow through departments, managing ingest of content, preparing deliverables documentation, and attending or coordinating client review sessions. Across both pathways, apprentices liaise with crew, clients, and external organisations, and handle rights and clearances including release forms, copyright licences, and location or recording permits.
Completion typically leads to roles such as production coordinator, post production coordinator, junior bookings producer, production secretary, or audio or radio coordinator. Employers include television and film production companies, commercial production houses, digital content studios, radio and podcast producers, animation studios, and VFX and post production facilities. With experience, coordinators progress to production manager, post production supervisor, or VFX producer level. The qualification is relevant across both large broadcast organisations and smaller independent production companies.
Sorted by achievement rate.
No training providers currently listed for this standard.
Completers typically move into roles such as Production Coordinator, Post Production Coordinator, Junior Booking Producer, Audio Coordinator, Radio Coordinator, or Production Secretary. The specific title depends on which specialism was chosen during the programme. In production-side roles, the focus shifts to owning logistics, scheduling and rights clearances independently. In post production, the work centres on managing workflows, client deliverables and facility schedules across single or multiple projects.
Within three to five years, coordinators commonly progress to Production Manager, Post Production Supervisor, or Bookings Manager, taking on budget responsibility and line management of junior staff. The leadership track leads toward roles such as Head of Production or Executive Producer over the longer term. Specialists who develop deep technical knowledge of VFX pipelines or post production workflows can move into dedicated Production Technology or Workflow Consultant roles, which sit within facilities and VFX houses rather than broadcaster or production company structures.
Broadcasters, independent production companies, VFX studios and post production facilities all hire for these roles. Work is spread across the public sector broadcaster infrastructure and a large private sector of independent companies, ranging from small boutique outfits to large international facilities. Radio and audio production houses, animation studios and commercial production companies also recruit coordinators. The roles exist across London and in regional production hubs, particularly where Channel 4 and BBC investment has supported growth outside the capital.
Learning takes place in a real production or post production workplace, with the apprentice building competence across the core element of the standard and their chosen option, either production coordination or post production coordination. Before final assessment, a readiness check (commonly called the gateway) confirms that the apprentice and their employer agree the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been developed to a sufficient standard. Final assessment then confirms the apprentice can carry out the role independently. Assessment arrangements for many standards are currently being updated as part of ongoing reforms, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
Throughout the apprenticeship, learners should keep a consistent record of workplace activity, gathering evidence that demonstrates their competence in real production situations. This includes work across whichever option they have chosen, whether coordinating productions or working in a post production environment. Leaving evidence gathering to the end of the programme creates unnecessary pressure, so building records as the work happens is strongly advisable. Close communication with both the employer and training provider about readiness for the gateway stage will help ensure the process runs smoothly.
Look for providers with direct links to working production companies, post production facilities, or broadcasters, ideally as employer partners rather than just listed contacts. On FATP, an achievement rate above 65% is a reasonable baseline for an 18-month programme in a fast-moving sector; above 75% suggests apprentices are being well supported through the full production cycle. Check whether the provider teaches both pathway options (production and post production) or only one. For post production work specifically, the curriculum should cover current scheduling and project tracking tools, file formats, and deliverables workflows, not generic project management theory.
Be cautious of providers who cannot explain how they structure the two pathway options, or who default to a single generic curriculum regardless of the apprentice's actual job. A high intake volume paired with a declining achievement rate can indicate that learners are being enrolled without adequate employer placement support. If a provider cannot name the production management or post production software taught, or give examples of alumni now working in coordinator or post production roles, treat that as a gap. Vague answers about how copyright clearance and legal licensing are covered in practice should also give pause.
There are no nationally mandated entry qualifications, so employers set their own criteria. Most look for some prior experience or a genuine interest in creative media production, and candidates must be employed for the duration of the apprenticeship. English and maths requirements apply: apprentices without a Level 2 qualification in both subjects will need to achieve that standard before completing. Check with individual training providers about any specific entry criteria they apply.
The typical duration is 18 months, though the actual minimum may change under current Skills England reforms. Apprentices remain employed throughout and learn on the job, supported by a training provider. A proportion of contracted hours must be dedicated to off-the-job learning, but the precise percentage is subject to revision. For the current specification, check the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page for this standard on gov.uk.
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway review. This confirms they have met all knowledge, skills and behaviour requirements set out in the standard. Assessment models for many apprenticeships are being updated, so the exact methods, such as a professional discussion or portfolio review, may differ from older versions of the standard. The gov.uk page for standard ST0598 has the current assessment plan detail.
The funding band for this standard is £11,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from the apprenticeship levy or co-investment arrangement to cover training and assessment costs. Levy-paying employers use funds from their Digital Apprenticeship Service account directly. Non-levy employers pay 5% of the training cost, with government covering the remaining 95%. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing toward training costs.
Day-to-day work varies by specialism. In production coordination, tasks include maintaining schedules, organising logistics such as transport and accommodation, obtaining legal clearances and rights for content, and managing production documentation. In post production coordination, the focus shifts to tracking workflow across departments, liaising with clients about deliverables and ingest, managing review sessions, and producing cost reports and schedules. Both routes involve acting as a key point of contact between internal teams and external organisations.
Completion typically leads to roles such as production coordinator, post production coordinator, junior booking producer, or production secretary, depending on the specialism chosen. From there, progression often moves toward production manager, VFX producer, or senior coordinator positions. Some completers go on to further study at degree level or pursue other apprenticeship standards in the creative industries. The skills gained transfer across film, television, audio, animation and commercial production environments.
Tell us a bit about your team and we'll send a shortlist.
Tell us your requirements and we'll match you with the right training providers.
Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 598.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.