Broadcast & Media Systems Engineer Degree Apprenticeship – Level 6

ABOUT THE BBC

Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual’s unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC – whether that’s to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

ABOUT THE ROLE

An apprenticeship at the BBC gives you the opportunity to kick-start your career in a job you’ll love. We’re the industry leaders in early careers and are committed to your skills and talent development. As one of the world’s most creative and technologically advanced organisations for the last 100 years, an apprenticeship at the BBC means the opportunity to learn from the most respected and experienced professionals in the business.

Engineering in the BBC develops, supports and maintains the systems and infrastructure that keeps the BBC on air. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of the next generation of operations and systems engineers helping the BBC to deliver content for TV, radio, online and other digital services. You’ll be working on unique challenges, hand in hand with the best creative minds in the UK.

Learn about technologies and systems for TV, radio and digital channels, and how they produce high-quality content that’s distributed around the world.  Also learn the industry standards for the set-up of broadcast communication systems, media content systems and IP networks.

Develop the specialised skills to design, build and maintain the media production and broadcasting technologies and systems that will take the BBC into the future.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

What will you be doing on the apprenticeship?

As a Broadcast Engineering Apprentice, you will be working with our central Technology Operations, Systems, and/or Archives Technology and Services teams to provide broadcast, distribution and production technology support to our primary broadcast and/or archives facilities. Depending on where you are based, you will work on the front line, supporting TV and Radio Production networks, systems and devices that are behind our flagship services such as Radio 1, 1xtra, 2, 3, 4 and 5, BBC ONE, SIX and TEN News, BBC Breakfast, BBC Sport, BBC Children’s, World TV News, our 40 World Service Radio services, BBC London, and Arabic and Persian TV services. The teams are also responsible for our master control rooms and telecommunication network systems. You will be trained and developed to support our TV & Radio studios and infrastructure and our master control rooms, as well as supporting archive operations in the digitisation of legacy archive content. This includes the support and maintenance of legacy machinery, digitisation equipment, and networks.

This scheme is aimed at growing the best creative technologists for broadcasting. You’ll undertake work placements in the BBC’s engineering teams at your base to understand the systems involved in the production and broadcast of BBC output and the diverse technologies that make this possible.

You will also get BBC Academy industry training delivered by experienced trainers to learn skills on practical broadcast systems and equipment, maintenance skills and networking, and electrical safety.

What will you be studying?

You’ll study for your industry recognised apprenticeship qualification alongside a degree (BEng) in Broadcast & Communications Engineering, learning both on and off the job. This involves you undertaking blended learning through a series of online and face to face teaching blocks at Birmingham City University, including:

Where could the role take you?

On successful completion of your apprenticeship, you can look for job opportunities inside or outside the BBC such as an Operations Engineer, Systems Engineer, Outside Broadcast Engineer or Broadcast Engineer.

This scheme starts in September 2025, and you will be on a fixed term contract which means your contract is for the duration of the apprenticeship only.  The duration of this scheme is 36 months.

ARE YOU THE RIGHT CANDIDATE ?

We’re interested in your passion for working at the BBC and your enthusiasm for delivering world-class content and operational excellence to our audiences. We look for positive people who live our values and ensure our culture remains inclusive and full of opportunities. We’re not focused on your qualifications; instead, we look for potential and offer you the opportunity to apply your transferable strengths and experience to work in different ways.

Throughout the selection process, we’ll be looking for evidence of how you demonstrate each of the BBC’s values and behaviours. Our values guide everything we do. They define what you can expect from the BBC and what the BBC expects from you.

Great Broadcast Engineering apprentices are those who can demonstrate they: 

• Are fascinated by how things work.
• Love solving technical problems.
• Have a passion for media technology.
• Can manage multiple deadlines and demands on your time.
• Have a calm and focused approach to changing circumstances.
• Are an enthusiastic self-starter, flexible and adaptable to out-of-hours working.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Be aged 18 or over when the apprenticeship starts in September 2025. 
• By the start of the apprenticeship in September 2025, have lived in the UK or European Economic Area (EEA) for a minimum of 3 years. 
• Be eligible to work in the UK full time for the duration of the apprenticeship contract. 
• Not currently taking part in an apprenticeship scheme supported by the BBC or another organisation. 
• Have Maths and English GCSE at Grade 4/C or above or National 5 (Scotland) at C or equivalent qualification.  
• Have achieved, or expected to achieve, by the start of the scheme, a minimum of 112 UCAS points (300 if before 2017).  This MUST include A Level/Higher Maths, or an extended BTEC in Engineering with Engineering Maths, or an equivalent qualification. 
• Not have completed or hold qualifications in the apprenticeship subject, broadcast or systems engineering, at level 6 or higher.

WHAT YOU GET

During your Apprenticeship:

• A starting salary of £21,840 (+ £5,318 London Living Allowance) .
• Industry-leading training through the BBC Academy and our learning providers (this may involve travel to locations across the UK).
• A dedicated Team Manager and Scheme Specialist to help with your development.
• Training and Mentoring by industry professionals.
• A 35-hour working week, 25 days of annual leave and a defined pension scheme. Plus discounted dental, health care, gym and much more.

Towards the end of your apprenticeship:

• An industry recognised qualification.
• Lots of experience to help you seek out new challenges and work opportunities within the BBC and wider industry.
• Employability and networking training to help you secure your next role.

This scheme is aimed at non-graduates. If you have a degree or you’re interested in production roles at the BBC, we recommend applying for jobs at careers.bbc.co.uk

To view the full job description, please click here —> BBC – Broadcast & Media Systems Engineer Degree Apprenticeship Level 6 – JD