If like me you are interested in journalism and have a background of writing, applying for work experience with the BBC can sound slightly scary on the surface. But as one of the leading creative forces of the arts journalism and entertainment world, the BBC are far from closed and are extremely open to inviting in students and young people to learn more about journalism and what it is that they do. Offering regular work experience placements and an annual trainee ship journalism programme popular among graduates, there are lots of ways you can gain experience from one of the BBC’s sectors.

Recently I attended a week-long placement with CBBC Newsround which was an amazing experience. I got to learn first-hand what it is like to work in a fast-paced newsroom, how to work across a wide range of media and even got to write a piece myself which was published. Being surrounded by all sorts of individuals, from editors to producers, there was so much to learn from the projects that were going on. At the end of the week I had gained a wealth of insight which is still being implemented in my writing now academically and has provided me a new vantage point when looking out across a wide range of subjects.

So why should you apply for work experience with the BBC? Here are just a few things that you can gain from getting involved with a work experience placement and how it can benefit you.

It is a positive challenge

Getting out of your comfort zone can be quite difficult at first if it is something you are unaccustomed to. But in applying for work experience in one of the BBC sectors, whether that be 5 Live or Radio 1, you are promoting the idea of a positive challenge. This is the best way to begin opening yourself up to new possibilities and finding out what it is you are capable of.

Part of the application process requires you to pitch an article idea which is an excellent place to begin. Utilise your current knowledge to create some different ideas before following them up and researching them to see how this shapes your work. Regardless of the work experience placement, this exercise is one that you should practice regularly if interested in journalism as it enables you to develop a knowledge of your interests and accordingly what it is you might most want to pursue. For example, if all your thoughts centre around podcasts then live radio might be the best place to apply to.

The BBC placement continues this positive challenge once you have passed the point of application. Building upon those story ideas you come up with, the placement is designed to develop your current skill set and provide you with a unique opportunity to learn from world-class experts. Whatever it is you want to focus in on developing, the BBC can help you centre in on this and begin work to advance it whilst you are there. Every work experience placement is an immensely personal one catered to you; you contribute as much or as little as you would like, just as though you worked in this environment. Because of this, whilst you are getting out of your comfort zone you are doing so in a comforting way surrounded by people who are friendly, supportive and more than happy to help you celebrate every one of your successes.

Widen your skill set

From both the act of applying and attending an experience placement, the BBC is ideal for widening your current skill set and capabilities. A busy place with so much going on, no two days are the same and being able to manage time well, work efficiently and adapt to different tones/environments is extremely important. All these skills are ones you will have worked on throughout your degree but putting them to use in a work-based environment can be useful before you enter the career world after graduation; an opportunity to test the waters and see how you feel.

It’s also a chance to build upon what you already have whilst learning something new. Of course you will have an awareness of how to write and to put together content as you do this regularly for assessments, but working somewhere such as CBBC Newsround you’ll learn how to write in their style, create a title that will search well on the web and with tidy research that shows you have a clear knowledge of what you are talking about. In strengthening research ability and adaptability, you’ll also pick up new skills. Whether that be how to work a new kind of camera/microphone or how to use a new editing software, there are so many chances to experiment with different forms of media.

The best part is as I said that everyone at the BBC is more than happy to help should you have any questions and if you do try something and make a mistake, there are people there to help you improve. Opposed to working along, though independence is a key part of this work experience opportunity, you can communicate with those around you to further your capability so that if something doesn’t go right the first time you don’t have to think you have failed or that you will never be able to achieve the result you wanted. By the end of my placement I was pitching and writing just like everyone else which seemed simply impossible when I began! But a week or two of hard work and focus can lead you to a surprising place and by the time you leave you will realise just how much you know now that you didn’t before.

Gain a new insight

The skills you gain and the experience you have will hopefully prove to you that gaining a new insight is valuable, especially as you will have gained such a wide range of new perspectives in your time with the BBC. Being able to see things from the perspective of others, being able to put facts first over your own opinion and to act in an unbiased fashion are so important in any field. This is what allows you to empathise and resonate with others, to learn from them and ultimately to represent both them and yourself well (especially when it comes to journalism). No matter what subject you are studying, the main reason I recommend applying to BBC work experience is for the insight.

Before I began my placement, I had no idea how much I enjoyed working with other people and how rewarding this is. Journalism is all about sharing stories, I realised, and so the work itself is a giant conversation that everyone is involved in. Being part of that conversation does give you an insight into your own character, that of others and where you want to go next and it is invaluable. In stepping outside of your usual surroundings, you might be surprised by what you learn to see that you didn’t before.

Keep up to date with what BBC work experience opportunities are available near you over on their careers hub.