HBS Broadcast Academy, Creative Skillset, NFTS Join Forces to Promote Diversity in Sports Production

Following the implementation of the partnership between HBS Broadcast Academy and the National Film and Television School (NFTS), plus the launch of several courses – including the Sports Production with Live TV Simulator short course, which is delivered in partnership with the NFTS — Creative Skillset has awarded bursaries to promote inclusion and diversity in sports production.

Creative Skillset’s TV Skills Fund has selected the course to receive six £1,000 bursaries to encourage women and underrepresented groups to access and develop their career in sports or live events. Women, BAME and differently abled UK citizens are eligible for the grant, as well.

“We are pleased to offer bursaries from the TV Skills Fund to this breakthrough course, which furthers our aims to encourage a diverse workforce with the skills the screen-based industries need,” says Sarah Joyce, TV Associate, Creative Skillset.

The news of Creative Skillset’s support is a source of a great pride for Lise Cosimi, HBS Chief External Relations and Director of the Broadcast Academy, who has been campaigning to promote gender equality in the broadcast industry. Earlier this year, she was appointed to the SVG Advisory Board in Europe and announced as the European leader for the SVG’s Women’s Sports Media Initiative, a group that aims to enhance the role of women in the creation, production, and distribution of sports content.

“I’m happy to see that Creative Skillset and the UK broadcast industry acknowledge the underrepresentation of diverse candidates in the field and are supporting worthy initiatives like ours that will help bring about the change,” says Cosimi.

“It’s great news that Creative Skillset is supporting this exciting course with bursaries and enabling a wide range of people from different backgrounds to gain access,” says Dr. Jon Wardle, NFTS Deputy Director. “The NFTS prides itself on delivering practical training that meets industry needs and has initiated a wide range of schemes to increase diversity. We would encourage anyone who is interested in building a career in sports television and production to apply and make the most of this fantastic opportunity.”

The NFTS/HBS Broadcast Academy short course, which runs from September 18 to 22, 2017, is the first of a number of sports production courses introduced in conjunction with HBS. If you wish to apply for the bursary for the Sports Production with Live TV Simulator Sports, registrations are open here.