Start your career on the airwaves
So, you’re looking to get your start in the world of radio?
Like many roles in media and journalism, radio can be a highly competitive industry. Demand for jobs in radio and competition among job seekers remain high, yet the amount of quality opportunities is quite limited.
However, radio’s competitive nature is also its greatest advantage when it comes to apprenticeships. In the media industry experience always trumps qualifications, and there’s no better way to gain hands-on experience than an apprenticeship.
If you have the passion, drive, and determination to pursue a career in radio, maybe you can do this through a creative apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships in radio
The radio broadcasting industry requires a plethora of different talents and skills in order to function effectively and continue putting out news, entertainment and music onto the airwaves.
Radio production needs creatives. You could start your career as a Radio Broadcast Assistant, with pathways into working as a researcher, a writer, a producer.
Likewise the technical and operational aspects of radio need a constant influx of talent professionals from broadcast and audio engineers to data analysts and accountants.
As far as apprenticeships go, there are a couple of different apprenticeship standards that employers can and will use to train up apprentices in the sector. This includes Production Assistant (Screen and Audio) and Radio Network Technician to name a few.
What companies can you look out for?
BBC
The BBC is the biggest name in UK radio, and its Level 3 Production Apprenticeship is one of the best ways in. Apprentices spend around 13 months at places like BBC local radio stations, BBC Introducing and BBC Audio, helping with live shows, editing audio, writing scripts and creating content for BBC Sounds.
For the September 2026 intake the salary was £22,950 (with London weighting on top for London roles). You need to be 18 or over by the start date, and the scheme is for non-graduates. The last round was advertised in December 2025 and closed in January 2026, so keep an eye on Find an Apprenticeship from late in the year.
Global
Global is behind some of the UK’s best-known radio brands, including Heart, Capital, Classic FM, Smooth, Radio X and LBC.
In 2022 it launched a broadcast journalism apprenticeship in its Manchester and Birmingham newsrooms: a 24-month placement producing news for Heart, Capital, Radio X, Smooth and LBC, while studying one day a week for an NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. No previous experience was needed. We couldn’t find a current intake, so keep an eye on Global’s careers pages for the next one.
Bauer Media Audio
Bauer Media Audio UK runs stations including Absolute Radio, Hits Radio, Greatest Hits Radio, KISS, Magic and Planet Rock. It also owns Lincs FM, which it bought along with the rest of the LincsFM Group in 2019. You can listen to all of them on Rayo, the Bauer app that replaced Planet Radio in 2024.
Bauer recruits its own apprentices from time to time. In 2026 it advertised an Apprentice Producer role in its London music team, working on brands like KISS and Hits Radio while training as a Level 3 Content Creator. Its training arm, Bauer Academy, also delivers the BBC’s production apprenticeships, but it doesn’t take applications from individuals, so look for Bauer’s own roles on Find an Apprenticeship.
News Broadcasting
News Broadcasting, part of News UK, runs talkSPORT, Times Radio, Virgin Radio UK and Talk (formerly talkRADIO).
It has run several radio apprenticeships. talkSPORT launched a production apprenticeship in 2020, and Times Radio has recruited two-year broadcast apprentices who study for an NCTJ Diploma in Journalism while helping to make its speech programmes. Other roles have included an apprentice social media assistant working across Talk, talkSPORT and Times Radio, and a radio sales apprenticeship.
Something a bit different
The world of entertainment is bigger than just radio. If you’d like to try your hand at other areas of media, take a look at the apprenticeships below:
UK Music Apprenticeship Scheme
Apprenticeships in the music industry are varied and you could learn about live events, promotion, creative and digital media. You could work for a label, learn how to produce music or maintain instruments. Ever dreamed of working for Universal Music, Domino Records or CODA Agency? Now is your chance!
Some examples of jobs in this industry include assistant recording technician, music project planner, music assistant apprentice and music instrument technician.
WMC (Wales Millennium Centre)
WMC is the home for arts in Wales. They run a year-long scheme that allows you to achieve a Level 3 certification in Technical Theatre: Sound, Light and Stage. Combining creative hands-on work in rigging, electrics, sound and lighting with nationally-acclaimed study, this apprenticeship is a great choice for a career in theatre.
Royal Television Society
Pretty much all the big players in TV offer fantastic apprenticeship schemes — these include Sky, ITV, Channel 4 and the BBC. You could work in a range of disciplines including digital media and production, to help kickstart a creative career in entertainment.
Other companies where you can find training opportunities in the entertainment industry include Betty, Creative Access, Fremantle and Media Trust.
Getting radio work experience
The best way to start gaining experience in radio is to start small. If you’re at school, college or even university, there’s a chance that there’ll be a student radio station or club that you can get involved in.
Hospital and community radios are also a good option and are often looking for volunteers. There will also be a multitude of local radio stations where you live — some of which may even offer work experience or apprenticeship opportunities!
If you can’t find any local work experience, why not make your own! With even the most basic audio recording equipment you can record yourself to practice your audio production and presenting technique, create demos to show to potential employers, or start a podcast on a topic you are passionate about. Radio has a long history of ‘do it yourself’ success, so why not give it a try?
Going live in three, two, one
A career in radio can be rewarding and, most importantly, varied. If you decide not to pursue the creative side of radio, you could look at the technical/production side or alternatively you could foray into other areas of entertainment, such as television and theatre.
