New ScreenSkills Leaders of Tomorrow cohort revealed

A new cohort of 25 future senior leaders, from all parts of the UK and nominated by industry, is embarking on the High-end TV Skills Fund’s Leaders of Tomorrow inclusion focused programme.

Leaders of Tomorrow is a three-year leadership programme providing the tools and training to mid-level professionals across different specialisms in high-end TV. The programme will help them progress to head of department, above the line, or other senior decision-making leadership roles in the future.

This is the third cohort of mid-level high-end TV crew, spotted and recommended by senior peers, to undertake the three-year training that will help shape their development into leadership roles. The High-end TV Skills Fund aims to encourage diversity within these senior positions through the training, providing industry with skilled leaders ready for management

The Leaders of Tomorrow programme’s ambition is to support talented individuals, from across the nations and regions, move towards long term career progression and encourages diversity within industry leadership roles. Now in its third year, the programme will provide the future leaders, across all departments, with comprehensive mentoring, masterclasses and paid on-the-job training over the next three years.

Twenty-four places on the programme are being supported by the High-end TV Skills Fund with industry contributions from high-end TV productions, with Sky funding an additional place.

Kaye Elliott, Director of High-end Television, ScreenSkills said: “With a third cohort embarking on the high-end TV three-year Leaders of Tomorrow inclusion focused programme, this long-term investment is already delivering impact by supporting and empowering individuals to move into leadership roles, which will help change the make-up of those in decision making and hiring roles in the future all across the UK. I am confident that these talented individuals, hand-picked by industry for their achievements and potential, are going to make a real difference across different departments and grades as they progress their careers.”

Rebecca O’Connor, Director of Production, Sky Studios added: “We’re delighted to once again be partnering on the High-end TV Skills Fund’s Leaders of Tomorrow programme which enables mid-level talent to confidently step up and fulfil their potential. We are excited to see how this cohort progresses and enters the industry as leaders of the future.”

As they start out on the programme, the new cohort shared their hopes and aims for the next three years.

Glasgow-based and working in post-production sound, Heather Andrews is keen to develop her skills and expertise in the industry across the programme, with a focus on working towards the role of sound designer and supervising sound effects editor on high-end television drama and film. She says: “I applied for the Leaders of Tomorrow programme just as I was transitioning from working full time at a facility and entering the freelance market. The Scottish TV industry is continuing to grow, but it can be hard to make industry connections and learn from those at senior positions in the craft, particularly in post-production, therefore making it increasingly difficult to progress to a higher level. The programme will allow me to focus on what I love best, sound design, and I hope through working and learning from some of the greats in the craft will allow me to progress to sound designer or supervising sound editor in the future.”

Having worked in unscripted production and in development, Niall Strawson thrives on thinking how to make ideas come to life and how to construct a programme. He hopes that the Leaders of Tomorrow programme will facilitate his career aspirations to become a producer or director where he can bring his voice, unique perspective and style to factual programme making. Niall explains: “Leaders of Tomorrow will allow me to learn from others, and through placements, identify where I will excel as a leader. As a producer with a disability, diversity and representation are important to me. I feel this programme will allow me to combine my lived experience with the training offered to make me a future leader in TV.”

The programme provides Leaders of Tomorrow with:

• A mentor/champion
• Access to an HETV professionals pool of industry experts for tailored one-to-one support, advice and expertise
• Up to three part-funded placements per year for up to three years
• Bespoke grade and skills-specific training
• Leadership and management training
• Networking opportunities and introductions

The successful 25 are listed below alongside their locations and specialist department:

Aimee Whelan – Production, North West England

Caolan McNally – Locations, Northern Ireland

Chad Orororo – Post sound, London

Charlotte Ambrose – Hair and make-up, South East England

Daniel Kennedy – Art, Wales

Danielle Richards – Assistant director, Wales

Elizabeth Royce – Camera, North West England

Garry David Frost – VFX, London

Heather Andrews – Post sound, Scotland

Izzy Morgan – Assistant director, Wales

Jonathan Livesey – Location sound, Scotland

Jyoti Rajput – Unscripted, West Midlands

Lou Macnamara – Camera, London

May Ziade – Post production, London

Melanie Doyle – Hair and make-up, West Midlands

Michaela McCaffrey – Accounts, Scotland

Natasha Roper – Location sound, South West England

Niall Strawson – Unscripted, South West England

Reanne Goodlit-Jones –  VFX, London

Robert Hart – Camera, North West England

Ruth Woodside – Camera, London

Samantha Patterson – Camera, Eastern England

Simon Gill – Location sound, London

Solange Welch – Unscripted, South West England

Tim Jolly – Locations, South East England