Westonbirt Sixth Form students gain valuable insight into a career at ITV

1st December 2023

Two Westonbirt School Sixth Form students secured a fantastic opportunity when they were selected for an exclusive online internship with ITV West Country. Chosen from a pool of accomplished peers throughout the country, these students represented the school with great pride.

Liberty in Year 12 has previously been attracted to a career in the medical field, but her strong passion for writing has developed a niche career ambition.

“I always felt I was headed towards the medical route, and I have always loved English. My parents have said I should be a journalist and I feel this is the best way to put them both together. To be more specific, I would like to become a doctor that travels through poorer countries while using my love for English to document and spread awareness along the way,” she said

Throughout the 10-hour internship, the students spoke with ITV editors, producers, and different production teams, including camera crews via Zoom. One element of the day included the chance to sit in on a virtual morning debrief.

“Some of the people on the Zoom call were in the car and vans on their way to shoots. It was nice to see the dynamic that was there from behind-the-scenes,” said Liberty. “Throughout the day they gave us tips and told us more about the in-person internships they offer and what they recommend for us to get into that line of work and in media generally.”

Emma in Year 13, isn’t entirely sure what she wants to do as a career but her interest in journalism has increased. She said:

“I thought it was interesting listening to the background jobs that ITV have to offer and all the people that are involved in making the news. I also liked how they included us in the West Country ITV’s Morning meeting. I learned about what makes a good story and more about different career paths available.”

The two students also enjoyed learning about all of the different jobs including on-air, behind the camera, and a variety of supporting roles beyond the production teams.

As the day continued, they were able to watch the show unfold as the camera was set up to see the Bristol newsroom. The students were also challenged to devise solutions for how to fix a technical issue that happened during the broadcast and were also told about an insider secret of how the media prepares for technology failures.

“I couldn’t believe how many people were there behind the scenes all working together. They all were just laughing the entire time and congratulating one another for the show they delivered” said Liberty. “If things went wrong, they have backups in place—two pre-recorded and one filmed live—and they all play together at the same time.”

“Overall, it was amazing to learn from the professionals themselves, they all made it very enjoyable and it has been an experience I was very glad to be a part of,” said Emma.

As they concluded their behind-the-scenes online internship with ITV, both students enjoyed the professional mentoring and valuable insights that will undoubtedly shape their future endeavours.