[Official Site] INTERN OPPORTUNITIES IN MEDIA DEPARTMENT

INTERN OPPORTUNITIES IN MEDIA DEPARTMENT
Club News

Barnsley Football Club has a number of exciting opportunities available within its Media, Marketing and Communications department ahead of the 22/23 campaign.

Continue reading on the official site...

 

Unpaid internships should be illegal. Having to provide your own equipment too? Absolutely shameful.

 

Unpaid, provide your own equipment and you may be required to work unsociable hours.

Classy.

 

I knew it would be unpaid because I remember it from last time but having to provide their own equipment too? How are they supposed to buy that and maintain it with no money? The only people this gives opportunities to are those who can afford a year with no wage and afford equipment too. At least if everything was provided the lack of wage may be offset by access to equipment you couldn’t usually afford to gain experience with.

 

If it's so few hours I don't see why it can't be paid.

 

It offers kids of rich parents who will sub them a great opportunity and discriminates against young uns from less well off backgrounds who have to work for a living. Having worked in TV, who do exactly the same on a huge scale, I know just how discriminatory these schemes are and how it keeps talented working class kids out of the industry to accommodate the wealthy.

 

My boss, and current Marketing, Commercial & Business Director was an intern six years ago. We've just been able to add our intern from last season - a Barnsley lad and Barnsley fan - as full-time Press Officer. Our 2017/18 intern has since worked for Millwall and has been at Sunderland for two years. Another works for UK Athletics, another on the European Golf Tour and another is Press Officer for Leeds United. That's just in my six years at the club.

They come in for a few hours on whatever matchday they're able to attend, in and around their education and/or employment. Usually U23s or U18s games. They are provided with the necessary equipment but most prefer to use their own. They are given club clothing, they're paid travel and meal expenses. We aren't talking about John Smith who works in a warehouse and just one day decides he fancies trying his hand in sports media. Applications are invited from all, from anyone, we aren't discriminatory. But they tend to be youngsters in education who - as part of their coursework - need to find an internship.

It's about us, as a club, offering youngsters an opportunity to learn priceless skills on the job. To build a portfolio of work, to network and so on.

It's a pretty blank canvas for them. It really is whatever they want to make of it. And it's one of my favourite parts of the job - helping others, teaching youngsters, passing on my knowledge and experience. I know my colleagues feel exactly the same. I wish there had been such a thing back when I was in further education. The internet was still dial-up back then!

That's my two penneth, from the angle of someone actually involved. Appreciate there will be other opinions, and that's the beauty of the free world.

Enjoy your four-day weekend - up the Tykes!

 

You're limiting the pool of candidates though.

 

That's not really justification though is it?

 

Forgive my ignorance, but who is Andrew Clark.?

 

We offer lots of work experience placements, they can learn so much more in this environment and helps towards gaining full time employment. This is available to young people who want to do it, are studying a suitable course and can be arsed. No pay just real life training, the kids who have the right attitude and work ethics get the opportunities nothing to do with parents wealth. I see this as a similar thing, nothing negative can be made out of the club offering this opportunity.

 

Genuinely, why not say that then? How many people will be put off because they're ashamed of their old equipment, or don't have any at all, when you actually have stuff they can use?

 

It's great that so many go on to have successful careers. They should still be paid for the work they do.

 

I think there will be some negative posts on this thread. However, as I have worked in a FE Media department over the last 10 years, may I offer a different view. There are in our colleges some very talented and skilled young people who wpuld be a great addition to any organisation. I think spending a year on the job somewhere would benefit them and the organisation greatly, possibly leading to job or going onto university. In the UK,it's not what you know but who you know and that is certainly the case in the broadcast,film and journalism fields. I have just seen year 1 and 2,Level 3 media students produce great work. They can write copy,utilise editing software,create ideas,they are just as good as anyone else in the country. Some have made links with Yorkshire based media outlets and produced work. Often kids are funnelled into the university route, when they are ready at 18, get them in.
I often mention Andy White ( who I have never met),as an example. His "Not a Podcast series" was brilliant, he was producing better highlights and summaries than the club itself. All while working for Morrisons and living in Bradford, I think,apologies if I have got this wrong.
Lots of kids from the elite, get a head start because of who their parents are acquainted with and they get positions not based on merit but who they know.
Hopefully a lot of the Yorkshire FE and 6th Form Colleges will get to.hear about this,the talent is out there.

 

Surely though if you are working the bottom line is you should be paid?