Work Experience week

Gateway 97.8 Makes the news in Work Experience week.

Charlie tunes up his employability skills with award winning Radio station

Charlie Sarson is a 17 year old with bags of experience, thanks to his work experience placement at Gateway 97.8 – The local community radio station serving the Basildon and East Thurrock areas. Not only were Gateway 97.8 the Winners of a Big Society Award in 2011 for their work locally, but they

were also awarded ‘The Queens Award for Voluntary Service’ in her Jubilee year.

Charlie’s 6-month paid placement with Gateway began in June this year and has equipped him for a dream career in media. Charlie left school with little qualifications and little working experience, but as part of Essex County Council’s work experience scheme – Charlie has become a true hit with his local radio station.

We asked Charlie what attracted him to the work experience role and he told us that he ‘had an interest in music and radio and the media’ and the job gave him the chance to ‘work with other people that have had media experience’.

And if you thought Charlie’s work experience consisted of brew making and button pressing, you couldn’t be more wrong! Charlie has various duties with the organisation – He researches for programme content, edits pre-recorded shows and has actually hosted a show himself. With his dream career in media at the forefront of his mind – Charlie has successfully gained skills and knowledge that puts him in a great position for his future.

The Gateway studio is a complex environment – wires and technology lining the walls. To discover that Charlie had put together and wired a sound desk during his placement was a shock to say the least. Along with practical skills, Charlie’s professional self has come on leaps and bounds – An improved work ethic, better time keeping and an appreciation of what it’s like to work as part of a team (to name a few!).

Charlie has also successfully completed an NCF qualification in Radio Broadcasting Production which he hopes will support his application on a Media course at College. Having benefitted from real experience, Charlie is focussed and driven with a clear vision of what his future holds.

I’m sure you’ll all join us in saying to Charlie – Best of luck!