s broadcast trends towards software- based systems, it also becomes more flexible, more fluid and more complex. This challenge is compounded by newcomers to the industry having to jump onto a moving train, with workflows and best practices in a state of flux. How do you bring in the next generation of media workers and train them for a job that is still in the process of being defined? To tackle this problem, some tech companies are engaging with educational institutions to get more young people into the broadcast space – not just to fill gaps in the workforce but to plant the seeds for what will become the next new paradigm in broadcast: Broadcast 2.0. “In a way, broadcast technology is an invisible industry,” explains Catherine Webb, Vizrt corporate and internal communications lead. “We need to educate, engage and make the career path visible to students so they know it’s a viable option.” PARTNERING WITH EDUCATION Norwegian TV graphics mainstay Vizrt has always made training a priority. Its Viz University programme, which was started over a decade ago, offers customers, partners and freelancers a library of courses for upskilling and certification around its suite of tools. On top of this, the company operates an internship programme that serves as a pipeline for new talent.
Vizrt’s global internship programme is tailored to each of its global offices, which span 40 countries. Each region offers its own set of opportunities and challenges for engaging young people. In Norway, placements with businesses are often a feature of higher education, so the company can naturally engage with local universities near its headquarters in Bergen. The internships start with a semester of working across Vizrt’s range of teams, from technology to marketing, to help the intern find the best fit for their interests and skills. Candidates are selected from relevant courses at partner universities, which might include UX design, software development, communications and marketing. Interns are then given the option to complete a project with Vizrt as their final bachelor thesis. There are fewer broadcast-specific courses available at higher learning institutions than there were in the past. This reflects not only declining interest in these courses but also the changing nature of broadcast, as it becomes more a subset of the software and IT world. As a result, broadcast is now open to a variety of skill sets that have application across multiple industries. Margrethe Berg Ohnstad was studying software development at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences when she completed her bachelor thesis project with Vizrt. She now works full-time as a software
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