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Respect, Resources and Recruitment – the three “R”s of

Media Technology education

18th February 2016

Sean Lancastle

Broadcast Business Development Manager


Introduction

Respect – what does Media Technology at Southampton Solent

University do and how is that perceived in the industry?

Resources – how do we do what we do and how do we ensure

its relevance?

Recruitment – what does the future hold for Media Technology

education and training in the UK?

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Introduction

• The BSc (Hons) Media Technology degree

was the first of its kind in the country

• The programme was the first engineering

degree to gain BKSTS accreditation

• It was also the first engineering

programme to be fully Skillset accredited

• Its graduates span all fields of the

industry, many in positions of significant

influence and responsibility – there are

more than 500 of them!


Introduction

Its students have won a number of

awards, from an RTS National

Documentary Filmmaking award for

its very first cohort…

… to Louis Arrigoni’s success at

SMPTE’s student awards this

year.

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Introduction

• Graduate employment rates are

exceptional, particularly with

the broadcast pathways usually

reporting 100%


Current titles – Media Technology

BSc (Hons) Broadcast Systems Engineering

BSc (Hons) Audio Engineering

BSc (Hons) Live Sound Technology

BSc (Hons) Television Production Technology

BSc (Hons) Sports Television Technology (new for 2016!)

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BEng (Hons) Acoustics

BEng (Hons) Audio and Acoustic Engineering

Post Graduate and Professional: MSc Applied Acoustics

MEng Audio and Acoustic Engineering

Institute of Acoustics Postgraduate Diploma

Certificated short courses in Acoustics measurement

Current titles - Acoustics


Core Technical Skills Fundamental Principles

The early stages of our courses share a largely common core, allowing students

to transfer to another pathway if their interests or career aspirations change

Course content – year 1

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Specialist Technologies Systems Design and

Implementation

After first year the different degree pathways become more specialised




Specialist Options Final-year project

In the final year students choose optional units based on their interests and

career aspirations, and undertake their individual major project

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TELEVISION & RADIO BROADCAST FACILITIES

LIVE SOUND AND LIGHTING FACILITIES

MUSIC STUDIOS

POST-PRODUCTION SUITES

HD OUTSIDE BROADCAST TRUCK

HEMI-ANECHOIC CHAMBER

3D DOLBY ATMOS CINEMA

“To gain the ‘hands-on’ practical experience necessary for a vocational degree,

and the skills that employers require, we have a superb range of facilities. We

Are very lucky that the university has invested heavily in media technology over

the last two decades”

Resources


Sound designing

Mixing for cinema surround

Sound system alignment

3D Cinema projector

Gaming (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)

Lecture theatre

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Click to edit Master title styleTechnical FacilitiesFirst Dolby Digital ® install outside London

First 35mm 3-blade shutter in Europe!

First digital projector in a UK university

First digital 3D in a UK university

First Dolby Atmos ® in a UK university

Used for sound design & system alignment


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Click to edit Master title styleFirst dedicated OB vehicle for a UK university

SMPTE fibre HD system cameras

Full broadcast test and monitoring system

64 channel Soundcraft Vi6 audio mixer

Used by the BBC and others

Invaluable work experience


Resources

• Our graduate network helps a great deal with technical

resources, often through the loan or donation of equipment

• They also act as an additional teaching resource, often

coming to do guest masterclasses

• This is very significant as technology changes

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Curriculum design

Industry

partners

Staff

experience

Graduate

feedback

Student

feedback

Curriculum


Curriculum design

What

industry

requires

What

universities

can provide

What students

want to learn

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Curriculum design

Attractiveness

to 17 year-olds

Attractiveness

to employers


Recruitment

Despite all this…

• Recruitment onto the Media Technology programme has been

falling year-on-year

• Fewer students with underpinning maths and science

knowledge are applying

• This picture is echoed across similar courses in the sector

• It comes at a time where demand for technically competent

graduates is increasing

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Hobbs, D., 2015. Proceedings of IABM/EBU Tom McGann Memorial Summit – Engineering the Future, Geneva, Switzserland.

Employer demand

Recent industry research shows a

significant skills shortage…



Employer demand

… and significant difficulties

recruiting staff with the necessary

skills

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CBI, 2013. Tomorrow’s growth: New routes to higher skills

Employer demand

The CBI predict significant increased employer demand for higher skills

in the sector (%)*


Employer demand

• Increasingly difficult if the Media industries are fishing in the

same pond as everyone else

• According to SEMTA, meeting the UK’s forecasted demand for

engineers to 2017 will require recruitment of those with

graduate-level skills to increase from 12,000 to 31,000 annually,

with similarly pressing demand for those able to fill key

technical roles

• How do Media Tech employers compete with these guys…?

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What about training existing staff?

It appears that the industry

isn’t very good at this too!


Business Impact

“Skills gaps and vacancies are

harming the competitiveness of digital

and creative firms. Firms are losing

business, delaying the development of

new products and pushing up costs.”

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Data from IABM Industry Trends Survey, May 2014

Business Impact

An example from the manufacturing

arm of the industry:


Employment market

Size of firms in the Creative & Digital industries in 2014

Skills challenges in

the Digital and

Creative sector,

UKCES 2015

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Required qualifications

Employment by highest level of qualification achieved in 2012

Skills challenges in

the Digital and

Creative sector,

UKCES 2015


How about apprenticeships?

• Intermediate and advanced apprenticeships have gained some

traction in the sector, though the numbers are falling

• Higher apprenticeship take-up is very low, with only 690 starters

across the sector in 2013/14 (SFA figures)

• The Creative Industries Council has clearly identified the small

size of many businesses within the sector having a negative

impact on the take-up of apprenticeships

• In England, the ‘Trailblazer’ initiative is aiming to re-launch

apprenticeships to be more employer-focused – we await the

impact of this, but…

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So, what can we do?

• Consider how the allure of a career in the creative industries can

be harnessed to encourage more young people consider technical

roles in the sector – our new Sports Television Technology degree,

for example.

• Develop courses that combine the technical and creative skills

employers need, so the study of technical and creative is not

seen as an either/or choice.

• Develop conversion courses to help people move into roles where

shortages are most severe.

• Explore new models of delivery that support industrial needs,

such as block-delivered or accelerated degrees.


And, what can you do with us?

• Market the Media Technology sector to a wider field of potential

recruits with different educational and professional backgrounds.

• Help young people at school and university, as well as their

parents, guardians and advisers, to identify the skills they will

need for a career in the Media Technology industries. This may

suggest a role for specialist careers guidance and an increase in

work placements.

• Explore new models for ensuring employees in small and larger

firms alike have access to the ongoing training they need to keep

up with technological developments.

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And, if we do?

• Eventually, we get more of this…


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18th February 2016

Sean Lancastle

Broadcast Business Development Manager

School of Media Arts and Technology

Southampton Solent University

East Park Terrace

Southampton SO14 0YN

E: [email protected]

T: 023 8201 9795

mailto:[email protected]

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