RESET is a paid internship programme delivered by TRC that launched at the beginning of 2022. The scheme was targeted at people aged 25 and over who had been out of work as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic and EU exit or had found themselves in temporary employment that was not making use of their full skillset.
The Screen Scotland supported programme offered applicants an opportunity to retrain and join Scotland's world-class Animation, Visual Effects (VFX) and Games industries.
Scotland is experiencing a boom in animation, VFX and gaming which has resulted in significant demand for talented individuals to work across production, postproduction and supporting roles in these dynamic industries. RESET set out to address this demand for talent and provide key access routes for those wishing to build a career in Scotland’s screen sector.
Applicants received specialist training with 14 selected to embark on 8-month paid industry internships in a host company in Scotland. Host companies included Wild Child Animation in Stirling; Blazing Griffin, Fix FX, ISO Design and Revenant in Glasgow; Interference Pattern, Keelworks and Illuminated Entertainment/Wojtek Animation in Edinburgh.
The successful interns also received additional training throughout their placement to further their skills, giving them a gateway into a new career path.
Hear from a couple of the interns below about their experience on RESET.
Samantha Medlam
“I have never felt as enthusiastic about my career as I do now. It feels like there is a future and the ability for me to experience and learn so much more. I am surrounded by people that are all cheering me on to be the best I can be. I have met so many different people, and learned about so many different roles within the industry. Having the network of other interns also means that I feel part of a community where we can all share our experiences with each other and not feel alone. I have been genuinely amazed at how many people I have met at both TRC and Wild Child who are absolutely lovely, and so eager to see me succeed. I have such fantastic support from my team, and I have already been given so much positive feedback which has been incredible in boosting my confidence. It feels like I have been dropped into the most perfect scenario for growing as a person and furthering a career in this industry - I am so grateful to have been given this amazing opportunity by TRC and I can't wait to experience even more in the coming months!”
Wild Child Animation
Kiera Robertson
“After being laid off it made me seriously consider my career. I’ve always wanted to work in the creative industries since I was very young. My degree is in performance, so I took this chance to re-evaluate my employment and start curating a career for me. I was very humbled to be offered interviews (on the RESET scheme) and even more excited to be chosen! I had a good feeling about the companies and was excited to join the gaming industry, especially as a gamer for over 20 years! I’m glad to have finally started a career in a creative industry. I never would have expected it to be gaming, and I’m not sure what the future holds but it’s definitely great to have started. Thank you RESET for the chance to course correct with the opportunity to start a creative career.”
Keelworks
More information
RESET was funded via the Scottish Government’s National Transition Training Fund (NTTF). NTTF is targeted at programmes for people who have lost their jobs or who are at risk of redundancy as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19) so that they can access support to retrain.
TRC is one of the UK’s leading training providers for Broadcast and Digital. TRC is a registered charity based in Glasgow, funded by Screen Scotland, BBC Nations and Regions and Channel 4.