Station Assistant - Work Placement

• Research content, write scripts and create crib sheets and what’s on guides for presenters of Breakfast with Future Radio, Norwich Today and Drive.
• Regularly edit audio for broadcast using Adobe Audition – this can range from preparing pre-recorded shows, editing previously broadcast shows for repeat or editing pre-recorded audio packages ready for broadcast.
• Oversee the daily scheduling of Future Radio shows, music and adverts using Myriad Schedule, ensuring everything is scheduled correctly and accurately.
• Provide assistance to presenters to maximise the quality of their shows.
• Support the Station Manager with managing & supporting our volunteer base. Build good relationships with all volunteers, particularly our presenters, becoming a key, and trusted, contact.
• Create original audio to a brief including jingles, music, trailers and adverts.
• Manage our studios – including overseeing the studio booking and ensure they are kept clean and to a high standard.
• Troubleshoot any problems that arise in the studio.

• Upload radio shows onto Future Radio’s Mixcloud and link them to Future Radio’s on demand page on the website.
• Clip out interviews and upload them to Future Radio’s Mixcloud and link them to Future Radio’s on demand page. The clips will also be linked to Future Radio’s podcast and social media outlets.
• Manage our monthly local music playlist – listening to songs that have been submitted, researching other artists who are producing music within the NR postcode and make contact with them.
• Be part of the team choosing our monthly new music playlist (A-List)
• Support the Station Manager with leading our support volunteer team – including Production Assistants and Broadcast Assistants. This will include training them to do their role, allocating them tasks and stepping in to help.
• Support the Station Manager with the training of new volunteers – particularly training them on using the studio and using our Myriad playout system.
• Support Future Radio with funded projects including working with, and training, external clients.
• Support Work Experience students.
• Ensure key pages on our website are kept up to date.
• Support Future Radio at key events across the city.

Future Radio is part of Future Projects, a charity whose mission is to unlock the potential of communities experiencing hardship and deprivation by delivering high quality services and support which enables lasting change.

Alongside the radio station, Future Projects delivers that mission through Future Support and Future Education. 

Future Support is a collection of specialist support services helping those most in need, in areas such as housing and homelessness, welfare entitlements, family support, debt and money advice, health and wellbeing, employability support, loneliness and isolation, and any other challenges being faced by vulnerable people in our communities.

Learning to schedule the station’s output alongside other daily tasks has been invaluable to my time management and self-organisational skills. I also really enjoyed my time shadowing drive presenters and the opportunities to meet volunteers at various socials throughout the year. I was trained in all the key areas for a BA including production e.g. Crib Sheets, Cue Sheets, Audio Editing, also scheduling the output of the station and how Myriad works. Succeeding as a BA involves a lot of coordination between myself and other volunteers as well as the core team, I think the main skills I’ve gained have been in self-organisation and verbal communication across the year. My expectations were surpassed all the way, Dean and Christopher have been very supportive and have really helped me to improve during my time here.

Oliver Hensby, University of Huddersfield, Placement Student 2021-2022

The year I spent with Future Radio, was one of the most enriching experiences I have had. Jumping headfirst into an industry I barely knew or had at that point considered as a career path was challenging, but worth every moment. I gained valuable skills in broadcasting, team management, volunteer relations, and more importantly self-confidence. The way the station and charity are run has inspired me to pursue a career in radio broadcasting. Despite having to deal with the challenges of a global pandemic, I wouldn’t change anything about my time with Future Radio. I loved every minute.

Clark Allen, Bournemouth University, Placement Student 2019-2020

I helped with all of the essential operations for a 24/7 broadcasting radio station.Throughout the year I was trained for increasingly important procedures: I graduated from simply editing and uploading previously broadcast shows for listen again, to scheduling an entire week of radio broadcast using Myriad AutoTrack. I am grateful to the Future Radio coordination team Christopher and Dean as well as my fellow interns Claire and Erin for an enjoyable and informative year in industry.

Jack Roberts, University of Huddersfield, Placement Student 2019-2020