Project 2 | My Site 4

PROJECT 2 - Professional Practice

The main aim of this project is to introduce us into the professional working practices and skills that will be required for a successful career path in the creative media industry.

TASK 2.1 - Exploring Options

Higher Education

Pros

"University," or higher education, has many advantages. It's a good approach to gaining plenty of knowledge about the field you want to pursue in the future. Additionally, a university degree is preferred because several companies worldwide are searching for people who have developed industry-relevant abilities and who can be trusted. A lot of recent graduates receive far higher starting salaries than someone who may find employment immediately out of university.

Academic successes at universities are widely recognised. Gaining a degree from a UK university can improve your worldwide reputation and increase your employability. In addition, universities may encourage the development of professional networks. Because you already have strong ties with people in these larger businesses, this is excellent for future work.

Universities might also help you improve personally. It can get you the opportunity to be who you are and be able to follow your interests. Higher education can help in development as an adult in addition to improving the chances of getting a job.

Cons

While attending university is an excellent option, the cost can be expensive due to the mixture of tuition, living expenses, and other costs. It can be very frightening for many students to graduate with quite a bit of student debt.

Higher education often prioritises theoretical knowledge; however, that depends on the kind of programme or course you are taking. However, most universities lack lots of practical learning and focus more on the theoretical side of things.

Stress and mental health issues can happen, especially as there is a high demand for success, which can make the student feel pressured. This can result in the students potentially failing to graduate from university with their deserved results.

Overall, higher education is a great path for students who want to learn more about what they like and can help them get employment quickly. However, for some people, higher education can be the wrong path and can lead them to results that they don’t expect.

Apprenticeship

Pros

For students who want to gain practical knowledge and experience in a real-world professional setting, apprenticeships are ideal. It allows the apprentices to put the concepts that they gained in college into practice.

Unlike the traditional path that most students go through, which often involves lots of tuition costs, apprentices can earn a wage while they are learning, which can be great as they can get to learn skills like budgeting and get rewarded for their hard work. This can motivate the apprentices to go and work harder in the work environment.

A successful completion of an apprenticeship often results in industry-recognised qualifications. This gives a better chance for employment in the future. which makes them competitive in the job market.

Cons

Apprenticeships are great; however, they are usually lower-paying than entry-level positions, which could require a university degree. While apprentices receive training and gain valuable experience, their starting salaries may be modest.

Entry into an apprenticeship can be completive; this type of education can be hard to get into, as there are many other students that are applying for the same apprenticeship that you might want to do.

Relocating can be a massive con as to going into an apprenticeship, as many apprenticeships are in bigger cities, which can be hard for lots of students travelling to their workplace. This can be hard for a young person to handle.

In general, I believe an apprenticeship is a great opportunity for someone to gain practical experience in the field of work. But right now, I think going to university is the ideal plan to take for me; I know that not everyone is able to attend university and would like to get a more practical education.

Employment

Pros

One of the biggest advantages of getting straight into employment is the ability to earn a stable income and become more financially independent. This income can help you settle down, pay the rent, and keep yourself in a good state.

Real work experience is a major pro for getting employed straight after graduating and attending college. The work that they do can be used to be employed by future employers. It can be added to your CV, which can help you achieve a higher position at a job.

With the wages that a student can earn, they may experience reduced stress related to financial concerns. That can positively impact their overall well-being and academic performance.

Cons

Employment is great; however, on average, a student who has graduated from university is usually earning more money than a student who gets into employment, as they have lots of job opportunities open to them.

Most employers are strict with their educational requirements, which limits the job options that are available to them. This can make the student feel without an option and lead them to do something they really don’t want to do.

Going straight into employment can be a bad path for lots of students, as jobs over time change and can become lots more different. With a university degree, you will be able to get into other jobs without a problem, as you have the skills that you have learned in higher education.

Overall, employment is great for lots of students who want to get money and experience that they can use in the future. Personally, I have been thinking about getting into employment after college, but I still want to stick to getting into a university.

My Interest

I have been researching university courses that I would be interested in. I have been looking into lots of courses that I find interesting. Using the UCAS website, I was able to find the most interesting course that I would be interested in. I found a university in Hull, and they were offering a media production course, which I also want to do. My personal job goal is to become a video editor or a freelance video editor for content creators. And the media production can help me get into video editing and filmmaking for bigger companies.

https://www.hull.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/media-production-ba-hons?year=2024&opt=standard

Personally, I really want to get into this course. The location is great, as it is not far from where I live. which is great as it will save me lots of time getting to university.

I really have a big passion for film and video editing. I always wanted to do it as a child, and it stuck to me to this day.

I have also used Grammarly to improve my grammar and punctuation.

Sources Used To Support My Answers:

Hunter, J. 2023. Everything you need to know about studying in the UK. Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/advice/everything-you-need-know-about-studying-uk.

Rogers, S. 2023. Types of degrees in the UK. Available at: https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/student-advice/what-to-study/types-of-degrees-uk.

apprenticeships explained - Bing. [no date]. Available at: https://www.bing.com/search?q=apprenticeships+explained&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&lq=0&pq=apprenticeships+explain&sc=0-23&sk=&cvid=015BD923DE9846678415BB9F25843E34&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl=.

What is an apprenticeship? [no date]. Available at: https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/what-is-an-apprenticeship#.

Hu, J. 2023. The 10 Benefits of Having a Job. Available at: https://www.jobscan.co/blog/benefits-having-job/.

TASK 2.2 - Working Practices And Methods

This first job advertisement is for a video editor for a company called Shadow Foam Limited. This job was listed on Indeed, which is a great tool to potentially apply for jobs and help you get hired.

This job's salary is between £21,000 and £24,000 a year, which is below the average salary in this industry. The average salary in video editing is around £27,000 a year, which is more income. The skills that would be required for this job would be marketing, sales, content creation, and most importantly, video editing.

The main reason that I chose the video editing job is that I personally want to get a job in video editing. That is a passion that I would like to follow.

Here is some more information about this job advertisement. This job also offers you a few benefits, such as additional leave, company pension, and on-site parking. All of these benefits can be really beneficial to the person applying for a job.

The schedule for this job is from Monday to Friday; there is no specific time that you will have to come in, but most of these jobs are traditional 9-to-5 jobs.

This job gives you the ability to commute or plan to relocate, so you can start working. This job requires you to do that.

The experience needed for this job is just one year of video editing experience, and most likely a college diploma or GCSE.

This job is overall great for somebody who has experience in video editing and only has a GCSE or graduated from college and wants to get into employment as fast as possible. I would personally not go for this job for many reasons, as I believe that there are better jobs with a better salary that will require a potential degree and more experience.

Here is an example of a freelance job listing on Indeed. This job is for a YouTube content creator for a football shirt brand that requires you to have a few skills, such as photography, knowledge of software called Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Illustrator.

The salary for this job is £12–£18 an hour, but can change as this job allows you to have a more flexible schedule, which means you have more freedom in choosing your own time.

The experience needed for this job is to have proven experience as a content writer or in a similar role. being proficient in using editing software like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Creative Suite, and so on.

This job doesn't require you to have any higher education, which makes it more complete to get into as there are a lot more content creators or editors who will be applying for this kind of job.

However, personally, I would do this job if I had experience in Final Cut Pro and also to gain experience through doing this freelance job. The only big problem is that this income will not be sustainable as this is a freelance job that might not last for too long.

TASK 2.3 - Action Plan

My plan for the future is to go to university and learn media production. I have looked at most job listings and have found that jobs that require a university degree have a better salary, which is something that I am personally looking for. The course duration will be 3 years, which will allow me to settle into adulthood.

I personally believe that going to university is the best thing that I can do to get myself out of my comfort zone and experience the life of an adult. I am, however, pretty worried about the financial side of going into further education, as I still don't understand how student loans work. However, with some help from research, I might feel a lot more confident about student loans and how they work.

My plan after going through higher education is to get employment in film, TV, or as a video editor for content creators. That is my personal goal, and I hope I can achieve it. However, to get employment in the big media industry, I would need to learn skills that I can use to improve my workflow at a big company, such as communication, problem solving, bravery, focus, being a good worker, and knowing how to help others. It is great to improve upon these skills to make you stand out from everybody else in the industry.

I will also start looking after myself and keeping myself fit, which will boost my confidence, which I can use to improve and develop as an adult and as an employer.

My personal short-term goal is to get all my work done on time at college. I want to make sure I am up to date and able to finish work when it is due. However, my long-term goal is to get a job that I love and actually enjoy, such as becoming a filmmaker or a video editor.

PROJECT 2 - Professional Practice

The main aim of this project is to introduce us into the professional working practices and skills that will be required for a successful career path in the creative media industry.

TASK 2.1 - Exploring Options

Higher Education

Pros

​

​​

Universities might also help you improve personally. It can get you the opportunity to be who you are and be able to follow your interests. Higher education can help in development as an adult in addition to improving the chances of getting a job.

​

Cons

While attending university is an excellent option, the cost can be expensive due to the mixture of tuition, living expenses, and other costs. It can be very frightening for many students to graduate with quite a bit of student debt.

​

Higher education often prioritises theoretical knowledge; however, that depends on the kind of programme or course you are taking. However, most universities lack lots of practical learning and focus more on the theoretical side of things.

Stress and mental health issues can happen, especially as there is a high demand for success, which can make the student feel pressured. This can result in the students potentially failing to graduate from university with their deserved results.

Overall, higher education is a great path for students who want to learn more about what they like and can help them get employment quickly. However, for some people, higher education can be the wrong path and can lead them to results that they don’t expect.

Apprenticeship

Pros

For students who want to gain practical knowledge and experience in a real-world professional setting, apprenticeships are ideal. It allows the apprentices to put the concepts that they gained in college into practice.

A successful completion of an apprenticeship often results in industry-recognised qualifications. This gives a better chance for employment in the future. which makes them competitive in the job market.

Cons

Apprenticeships are great; however, they are usually lower-paying than entry-level positions, which could require a university degree. While apprentices receive training and gain valuable experience, their starting salaries may be modest.

Entry into an apprenticeship can be completive; this type of education can be hard to get into, as there are many other students that are applying for the same apprenticeship that you might want to do.

Relocating can be a massive con as to going into an apprenticeship, as many apprenticeships are in bigger cities, which can be hard for lots of students travelling to their workplace. This can be hard for a young person to handle.

​

Employment

Pros

One of the biggest advantages of getting straight into employment is the ability to earn a stable income and become more financially independent. This income can help you settle down, pay the rent, and keep yourself in a good state.

Real work experience is a major pro for getting employed straight after graduating and attending college. The work that they do can be used to be employed by future employers. It can be added to your CV, which can help you achieve a higher position at a job.

With the wages that a student can earn, they may experience reduced stress related to financial concerns. That can positively impact their overall well-being and academic performance.

Cons

Employment is great; however, on average, a student who has graduated from university is usually earning more money than a student who gets into employment, as they have lots of job opportunities open to them.

Most employers are strict with their educational requirements, which limits the job options that are available to them. This can make the student feel without an option and lead them to do something they really don’t want to do.

Going straight into employment can be a bad path for lots of students, as jobs over time change and can become lots more different. With a university degree, you will be able to get into other jobs without a problem, as you have the skills that you have learned in higher education.

Overall, employment is great for lots of students who want to get money and experience that they can use in the future. Personally, I have been thinking about getting into employment after college, but I still want to stick to getting into a university.

My Interest

https://www.hull.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/media-production-ba-hons?year=2024&opt=standard

Personally, I really want to get into this course. The location is great, as it is not far from where I live. which is great as it will save me lots of time getting to university.

I really have a big passion for film and video editing. I always wanted to do it as a child, and it stuck to me to this day.

​

I have also used Grammarly to improve my grammar and punctuation.

​

TASK 2.2 - Working Practices And Methods

This first job advertisement is for a video editor for a company called Shadow Foam Limited. This job was listed on Indeed, which is a great tool to potentially apply for jobs and help you get hired.

This job gives you the ability to commute or plan to relocate, so you can start working. This job requires you to do that.

The experience needed for this job is just one year of video editing experience, and most likely a college diploma or GCSE.

Here is an example of a freelance job listing on Indeed. This job is for a YouTube content creator for a football shirt brand that requires you to have a few skills, such as photography, knowledge of software called Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Illustrator.

The salary for this job is £12–£18 an hour, but can change as this job allows you to have a more flexible schedule, which means you have more freedom in choosing your own time.

The experience needed for this job is to have proven experience as a content writer or in a similar role. being proficient in using editing software like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Creative Suite, and so on.

This job doesn't require you to have any higher education, which makes it more complete to get into as there are a lot more content creators or editors who will be applying for this kind of job.

However, personally, I would do this job if I had experience in Final Cut Pro and also to gain experience through doing this freelance job. The only big problem is that this income will not be sustainable as this is a freelance job that might not last for too long.

TASK 2.3 - Action Plan