Providing support and assistance to help with the delivery of content for TV or radio shows.
Apprentices learn how to support the production of TV, radio, or audio content from pre-production through to delivery. This includes coordinating logistics, preparing production paperwork, managing schedules, communicating with cast and crew, and helping to keep shoots or recordings on track. The standard covers both the practical and organisational sides of production, giving apprentices a grounding in how professional screen and audio content is made, planned, and delivered within a team environment.
A typical week might involve booking facilities or equipment, drafting call sheets, tracking budgets, liaising with contributors or suppliers, and supporting the production team in the office or on location. During recordings or shoots, apprentices often act as a point of contact for logistics and admin. Between productions, they may help with research, rights clearances, or scheduling. The role is hands-on and fast-moving, with priorities shifting depending on where a project sits in its production cycle.
Completing this apprenticeship opens routes into roles such as production coordinator, assistant producer, runner, or junior researcher. Many people progress through the production management track, moving towards production manager or line producer roles. Others move into editorial or development work. Employers include broadcast networks, independent production companies, podcast studios, and in-house content teams at larger organisations. The independent production sector is particularly active in hiring at this level, covering drama, factual, entertainment, and audio formats.
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No training providers currently listed for this standard.
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads into entry-level production roles across broadcast and audio. Common job titles include Production Assistant, Runner, Assistant Producer (in trainee capacity), Production Coordinator, and Studio Assistant. Some completers move into more specialist support roles such as Casting Assistant or Post-Production Assistant, depending on which area of the production process they focused on during their programme.
Within three to five years, Production Assistants often progress to Production Coordinator, Production Manager, or Associate Producer. Those drawn to editorial work tend to move toward a Development Producer or Assistant Producer role proper. The longer-term split is usually between the management track, moving into Line Producer or Series Producer positions, and the craft or specialist track, which includes roles such as Post-Production Supervisor, Casting Director, or Content Producer focused on a specific genre or format.
The main employers are broadcast television companies, independent production companies, and commercial radio stations. Public sector broadcasters and their supply chains take on significant numbers of production support staff, as do the growing number of production companies serving streaming platforms. Audio roles sit within commercial radio groups, podcast networks, and audio production houses. Most entry-level hiring happens in London and a handful of other production centres including Manchester, Bristol, and Glasgow.
Learning takes place on the job, with the apprentice building practical experience in a production environment throughout the programme. Before final assessment, the apprentice and employer confirm readiness at a gateway point, which typically requires evidence that the apprentice has developed the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the standard. Final assessment then confirms the apprentice can perform the production assistant role to the required level. Assessment models for many standards are being updated as part of ongoing reforms, so check the current specification on the standard's gov.uk page before making decisions.
Keeping records of real work throughout the programme is far more effective than trying to compile evidence close to the end. A production environment moves quickly, so noting what you did, why you made decisions, and what the outcome was, as work happens, builds a stronger picture of competence. Regular check-ins with the training provider and line manager help identify gaps early. Working on varied productions where possible broadens the range of evidence you can draw on when the gateway review takes place.
Look for providers with direct industry connections, ideally those who can demonstrate apprentices have been placed with broadcasters, production companies, or audio studios during their programme. On FATP profiles, an achievement rate above 65% is solid for this standard; above 75% is strong. Employer satisfaction scores matter more here than in many other standards, because the quality of real production placements is the main differentiator. Check learner reviews for mentions of hands-on production experience, not just classroom or online delivery.
Be cautious of providers running large cohorts without clear evidence of employer partnerships in broadcast or audio production. If a provider cannot name the types of productions or studios apprentices have worked on, that is a warning sign. Declining achievement rates paired with high intake numbers suggest throughput is prioritised over quality. Providers who rely heavily on generic media or creative arts curriculum rather than screen and audio production specifics are unlikely to prepare apprentices for the pace of a real production environment.
There are no nationally mandated entry qualifications for this standard, so employers set their own criteria. Most look for genuine interest in TV or radio production, good organisational skills, and the ability to work under pressure in a fast-moving environment. If the apprentice already holds relevant qualifications or experience, the provider will assess whether any prior learning can be recognised and the programme adjusted accordingly.
The typical duration is 15 months, though the actual length depends on the apprentice's prior learning and how quickly they demonstrate competence. Apprentices are employed throughout and learn on the job, with a portion of their working hours dedicated to off-the-job training. The current split is set out in the approved standard on gov.uk, as figures are subject to revision under ongoing Skills England reforms.
Before moving to end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met all required knowledge, skills, and behaviours. The assessment itself tests competence in supporting production delivery across TV or radio contexts. Assessment models for many standards are being updated, so check the current specification on gov.uk for the exact methods that apply to this standard.
The funding band for this standard is £9,000, which is the maximum government contribution. Levy-paying employers draw training costs from their digital apprenticeship service account. Non-levy employers co-invest, paying 5% of training costs with the government covering the remaining 95%. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing. Costs are paid directly to the training provider, not as a lump sum upfront.
The work varies by production type but typically includes coordinating schedules, booking facilities, managing paperwork such as call sheets and running orders, liaising with contributors and crew, and supporting the production team during filming or broadcast. On radio productions, this might involve preparing scripts and logging audio. The role sits at the operational heart of a production, keeping logistics on track so editorial and technical staff can focus on content.
Completing this standard opens routes into more senior production roles such as assistant producer, production coordinator, or junior researcher, depending on the broadcast or audio sector. Some progression into Level 4 or Level 6 apprenticeships in creative media exists, alongside industry-recognised short courses and broadcast training schemes. Employers in TV, radio, and podcast production regularly promote from within, so strong performance during the apprenticeship often leads directly to a permanent or expanded role.
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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: 112.
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.