1. Higher Education In Media
Elliot Daroczy

2. Higher Education Options - Ucas
Upon signing up to and exploring the Ucas website I was able to navigate and find some higher education
options after college including that of BA (Hons) and HNC/HND that I could potentially do. The selections I
have looked at are those of which will give me the necessary training in the media industry which will help
me find a job I want. A lot of jobs actually prefer experience over qualifications, so therefore going to
university and getting qualifications that don’t offer much practical experience might not be the best thing to
do. I would personally like to work within content creation so I want to make sure the course I pick involves
technical skill.
I’ve found a university course called media production, this course would focus on the technical side of
media and help give me some more time to hone and perfect my technical skill. It even suggests I will be
working with the BBC, Capital FM, Sunderland AFC and many more companies if I chose this course. It is
a 3 year course if I take it full time and a 6 year course if I take it part time, and it’s a BA (Hons). I also
found a course called media, culture and communication. This course is more based around media
theories and patterns and how they impact society. In this course you look more at cultural studies and how
to analyse media. I will gain a range of transferable skills including presentation skills, critical analysis,
independent thinking, written and research skills, and the ability to work in groups and on your own. In your
final year, you will put your skills and knowledge into practice in a major independent research project.
University courses would be a good option if I want to get a better qualification, however it is another form
of higher education and personally I would rather get a job or create my own content than go to University.

3. Higher Education Options
- Apprenticeships
GOV.uk has showed several media related apprenticeships within my area. One of them was a
field engineer apprenticeship. I would be installing or fixing products in their homes and offering
them advice. They also provide services to small business customers including shops, offices
and homeworkers. As an apprentice, I would join their Consumer Field Operations team and
help them deliver services to keep the nation connected. I would get around 20 extra days off a
year compared to the average full-time job. I would also work around two out of every three
Saturdays, with all shift schedules TBC, agreed months in advance (you will work 37.5 hours a
week). All Virgin Media O2 apprenticeships are permanent, so if I successfully complete the
apprenticeship, I will have a role as a Field Engineer waiting for me, with a salary from £29,000.
However I would need a full UK driving licence because I’d be visiting customers across the
region, providing them with a friendly, knowledgeable service and connecting them to what
really matters. I must also be at least 18 years old.
Virgin Media and O2 joined forces combining the UK’s largest and most reliable mobile network
with a broadband network offering the fastest widely available broadband speeds. They are the
corporate brand of a 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica SA and are now
one of the UK’s largest businesses. It’s a brilliant time to join them.
If I wanted to take this apprenticeship I would have to apply by the 14th November 2022, as well
as this I would have to learn to drive, so getting all of this done in time would be tricky. Getting
an apprenticeship would be good for experience, however I would much prefer getting a job or
creating my own content.