You're hired! - National Skills Day's Post Production competition winner
Ryan Norman could not believe his luck when he was selected from hundreds of applicants as one of the seven winners of the National Skills Day 2006 competition put together by Skillset and Soho Editors.
The prize for the seven winners included a Final Cut Studio HD software package worth £899, five days of state of the art training at Soho Editors' facilities, a networking breakfast at Apple European HQ and job shadowing at Oasis Television, Unit Post Production and Resolution. One of the most valued aspects of the prize was the talks and seminars where the participants got first hand industry advice from experienced industry practitioners from leading companies like Apple and Soho Editors.
Little did Ryan know that his prize was only the first of a series of extraordinary events which have kick-started his professional life in post production.
After the training and seminars, Ryan undertook his job shadowing experience at Unit. The post production house staff were impressed with his skills and work readiness and he was asked to stay to help complete a project. Once the project was finished, Ryan was prompted to apply for a full time position at Unit and got the best surprise of his professional life when he was offered a two year contract by Unit's Managing Director, David Peto.
Ryan, who has just finished his studies at Bath Spa University, was absolutely delighted with the news. He has since started to work as a Technical Runner for Unit Post Production: "This is the best possible way to start my career in post production, and I am quite sure this could not have happened without the National Skills Day competition, the training at Soho Editors and all Skillset's support. Schemes like this can turn someone's life around; it has certainly placed me in a position I could have not even dream about. Even if I had not got the job, the skills I have acquired are invaluable."
