Media release: The BRITs Apprentice Scheme, a personal story

THE BRITs Apprentice Scheme was launched in 2017 for independent and major record labels association, the BPI, and is managed for the BPI by DiVA, the recruitment and training organisation and their partners, All Spring Media, who have a successful track record in delivering apprentices in the entertainment industry.

The scheme is two-thirds funded by music industry, The BRIT Trust, with the remaining investment met by the host companies. It is viewed as a cost-effective opportunity for employers to take on and train new talent they might not otherwise be in a position to employ.

The BRIT Trust is the principal charity of UK recorded music, and aims to improve lives through the power of music and the creative arts.

Funded largely by the annual BRIT Awards and Music Industry Trust (MITS) events, the Trust’s work is enabled by a board of Trustees chaired by Tony Wadsworth CBE.

Since its foundation by record labels and the BPI in 1989, the Trust has donated over £28m to a range of causes that promote education and wellbeing, including The BRIT School, Nordoff Robbins, Mind, Music Support, ELAM, and Key4Life.

To learn more, visit www.brittrust.co.uk.

Here, BRITs Apprentice, Chelsea Louza, a social media assistant at music marketing agency, Blackstar, writes of her first few months in the role…

Hi, I’m Chelsea, I am a social media assistant apprentice working for Blackstar as a part of the BRIT Trust-funded BRITs Apprentice Scheme.

I’m very excited to be working for Blackstar as the company is a marketing agency for music artists and it has been my goal to work in music marketing for a long time.

The application and interview stages were stress-free and informative. Working at Blackstar has been amazing; I have met wonderful people, and been given great opportunities and experiences both in and out of working hours.

I have been made to feel really confident and comfortable in my environment, including the questions I ask, and the tasks I’m doing. I am given enough guidance from my managers and colleagues while doing my tasks. I feel free enough to ask for assistance when needed.

Over the last few months, I have been given more tasks, responsibilities and courses to do. This has resulted in my being more confident in supporting my team and gives me a level of independence with how and when I do my tasks.

There has been a level of trust built with my colleagues – I’ve been asked for my opinion and ideas, which makes me feel like a valued member of the team.

I have been learning to do a lot of things by being shown and then getting lots of practice by myself, which has worked well for me as it’s how I learn best. I have been given the task of coming up with creative ideas for social media activations of different artists from the familiar to something completely out of my comfort zone.

It means that I am able to work with and experience a range of artists who I would never normally listen to, which is also helping ideas to come more naturally to me.

I have been encouraged to take online courses covering areas such as minute-taking, emailing, and copywriting, etc to help me with my day-to-day tasks and skills that I will then be able to transfer/ use while progressing in my career.

I have been pleasantly surprised with just how welcoming the whole company has been, and made it easy for me to fit in.

Although I know I am here to learn and I expected some guidance, I didn’t expect the amount of care and support that I would be getting.

Staff members including me get a lot of praise and acknowledgement from the whole company and it’s wonderful to see. It’s made me more confident at work, knowing that it’s not just me that is interested in my development, and that the company and colleagues are committed to seeing me grow and succeed.

Finally, I am also grateful to The BRIT Trust, whose funding of the BRITs Apprentice Scheme has made this exciting opportunity for me possible.

ENDS

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Contact: BPI

Email: gennaro.castaldo@bpi.co.uk