Northern Routes - What The Trainees Have To Say

Competition was fierce for the Northern Routes Training Scheme, with almost 500 applications received for just 22 places.

Now all of the trainees have finished their 12 weeks placements, with award winning television programme makers across the North of England. Shameless (Channel 4), Panorama (BBC), Spooks Code 9 (BBC), Clash of the Santas (ITV), The Cup (BBC) and BBC News, were just some of the fabulous productions that the successful candidates did their ‘on the job’ training, gaining invaluable hands on experience.

Carolyn Nicoll, Northern Routes Project Manager, says: “The Northern Routes trainees have been given amazing opportunities with experienced crews on fantastic productions, as well as bespoke training tailored to their individual needs, to help them progress in their chosen careers. Following the Northern Routes scheme trainees have gone on to some great TV and feature film projects, including working on primetime productions such as Waterloo Road, Wired, The Royal, Survivors, Shameless and Wuthering Heights. I am delighted that Northern Routes has been such a success and has given trainees the experience and contacts to work in the industry.”

Malcolm Wright, ITV goes on to say: “Northern Routes is an excellent gateway scheme for new talent coming into the media industries. ITV is delighted to support it. The scheme is very well organised and the placements are definitely beneficial to us as well as the participants.”

Here’s what the Northern Routes trainees have to say:

Nikki Chamberlin – Assistant Production Accountant Trainee
Owen Charnley – Camera Trainee
Holly Lander - Hair and Make-up Trainee
Nadine Al-Samarraie – Hair and Make-up Trainee
Jessica Dove – Location Trainee
Helen Burdess – Production Assistant Trainee
Philip Dehany – Production Assistant Trainee
Ross Collier – Sound Trainee
Sarah Fenton – Production Assistant Trainee
Amelia Lavington – Researcher Trainee
Andrew Thorp – Researcher Trainee
Ros Gildea – Script Supervisor Trainee
Chris Devlin – Sound Trainee
Sarah McGoldrick - Production Assistant

Northern Routes is a partnership between the 3 regional screen agencies: Northern Film and Media, Northwest Vision and Media, and Screen Yorkshire and is supported by the Skillset TV Freelance Fund.