The Forces Media Academy has launched a unique media course for service leavers and veterans which will be taught in a live media environment…

Students on the free one-year Higher National Certificate (HNC) Media Production Course also receive a bursary of £18k to help with living costs.

Forces Media Academy Director, Alistair Halliday, said: “We are delighted to offer this bespoke course to service leavers and veterans who are interested in pursuing a second career in the media. This will include those who’ve suffered injuries or sickness while in service.”


Work experience and practical skills feature heavily in the course, which has modules such as: Development and Techniques of Film and Video Editing, Promotional Video Production and Production of Multi-Platform Radio Programmes.


“The Forces Media Academy is part of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC), which has a proven history of media production with long-established and close links with the media, digital, and broadcast industries. We’ll harness these to set up high quality work experience which will enhance the ability of the students to get a good job afterwards,” added Halliday.


“We are most grateful for the support of charities and companies, in particular The Royal British Legion, which has most generously provided the bursary. This course is a perfect fit for service leavers and veterans with an interest in, and aptitude for, the media. It will equip them with skills for a range of roles such as a producer, multimedia journalist, and content creator.”


The Royal British Legion’s Head of Grants and Social Policy, Daniel Elser, said: "The Academy’s work is innovative and practical, building on the existing and highly transferrable skills of those who serve in HM Armed Forces. We’re eager to follow the first cohort’s progress, and proud to provide bursary funding to make the course accessible to as many future media professionals as possible."


SSVC is also the parent company of the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) and Forces TV, and specialises in providing media services to the UK Armed Forces around the globe.


The first course starts on 25th September 2017 and will run until July 2018 at SSVC’s headquarters in Buckinghamshire, so students will have the opportunity to work with award-winning media teams alongside the programme of lectures.


For more information about entry requirements and applications, and for full details of course modules, go online towww.forcesacademy.com