Applications have now CLOSED for the 2023 Traineeship Program as part of the Regional Crew Development Program. Click HERE for information on the 2023 recipients.
If you are a production company or mentor interested in taking on a fully paid trainee, we’d love to hear from you!
Please email Susie on [email protected] to register your interest and we will be in touch.
About the program:
In August 2021, Screenworks, Netflix, and the NSW Government announced an exciting new initiative that will provide free training for up-and-coming creatives looking to make their start in the screen industry.
Delivered by Screenworks, backed by an investment of $500,000 from Netflix, and supported by the NSW Government and Screen Queensland, the Program will also provide placements and work experience on real productions with the goal of creating new career pathways in the field for regional people.
The initiative started as a pilot in 2022 in Northern New South Wales, and in 2023 it has now extended to include Far North and North Queensland, with the aim to scale the program across regional Australia in the future. The program will provide career pathways in the screen industry for regional people, in addition to directly addressing crewing skill gaps that have been identified in the industry. Diversity and inclusion will be a key focus area for this program.
The Regional Crew Development Program will directly address crewing skills gaps that have been identified in the region including for roles such as camera and light department, production accountants and location managers.
Program Components
This program will have three components that will be tailored to identify and directly address existing and future skills gaps and crew shortages in the region.
Regional Crew Development Traineeships
A traineeship initiative to provide new career pathways in the screen industry for young people living in Northern NSW and North/Far North Queensland
- 12 month fully paid and contracted entry-level trainee employment which will include Certificate III in Screen & Media qualifications and placements on productions.
- Each traineeship will be targeted to address skills gaps being experienced across Australia
Regional Crew Development Targeted Skill Set Training
A short-form skill set training program will be delivered in partnership with the NSW Department of Training to facilitate transition into the screen industry for workers with transferable skills.
- Training will address identified existing skills gaps in the local screen industry and opportunities linked to in-bound productions.
- Opportunity to partner with LinkedIn’s Economic Graph on a skills gap identification and screen industry adjacent skills mapping exercise.
- Will be delivered to a minimum of 50 candidates over the next 3 years.
Locations and Crew Referral Services
Funding of Screenworks’ existing locations and crew referral services in order to increase the number of local practitioners being employed on productions taking place in the Northern New South Wales region
- Focus on the development and expansion of existing referral services to address increased production needs in Northern NSW.
- Future options will be explored to further scale the referral services across regional Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When can I apply for a traineeship?
When can I apply for a traineeship?
Applications for the 2023 traineeships are now closed.
Applications closed on 28 November 8am (AEDT).
When will the traineeships take place?
When will the traineeships take place?
The traineeships will commence at the start of the TAFE academic year in February 2023.
Will the traineeship provide me with a qualification?
Will the traineeship provide me with a qualification?
Yes, a Cert III in Screen & Media
Is there any eligibility criteria for the traineeships?
Is there any eligibility criteria for the traineeships?
Applications will be competitive and eligibility requirements are listed at this link. If you have completed or are part way through a Cert III in Screen and Media at TAFE at the time of application, you will be ineligible to apply for a traineeship. Similarly, having a Cert IV, Diploma of Advanced Diploma counts you out of being able to be funded to do a Cert III.
How many places are available for the traineeships?
How many places are available for the traineeships?
A minimum of 9 traineeships will be delivered over 3 years. 4 in the first year (2022) followed by 3 in the second (2023) and a final 2 in the third (2024).
What area of the screen industry will the traineeships and targeted skill set training focus on?
What area of the screen industry will the traineeships and targeted skill set training focus on?
All opportunities will be targeted to address the skills gaps being experienced both locally in Northern NSW and North/Far North Queensland and identified crew shortages across Australia. We are currently working with TAFE and industry mentors to finalise the skills areas that this pilot program will focus on and will announce them through our communication channels.
How do I apply for a place in the targeted skill set training workshop?
How do I apply for a place in the targeted skill set training workshop?
People interested in skill set training should sign up to the Screenworks newsletter and follow Screenworks on Facebook and Instagram to be across any announcements.
Can people outside of the Northern Rivers region apply?
Can people outside of the Northern Rivers region apply?
The traineeship in 2023 is now open to Northern NSW residents as well as residents in North/Far North Queensland. For a full list of eligible LGAs, please head to this link.
I work for a production company and am interested in taking on trainees. How can I get involved?
I work for a production company and am interested in taking on trainees. How can I get involved?
Production companies and heads of departments interested in taking on trainee placements in 2022, can contact Screenworks via email [email protected].
I’d love to get involved as a mentor, who should I contact?
I’d love to get involved as a mentor, who should I contact?
We would love for you to contact Screenworks via email [email protected]
How can I make myself visible as a crew or locations service in Northern NSW?
How can I make myself visible as a crew or locations service in Northern NSW?
We strongly encourage any person with screen credits who resides in the Northern NSW region to go online and complete their professional listing in our crew database VIA THIS LINK.
It’s free to list and is an invaluable resource for all visiting local, interstate and international productions who are actively looking to film in our region – as well as for any local skilled crew who are looking for work.
What you can do now:
People in Northern NSW interested in the traineeships or skill set training should subscribe to our newsletter or better yet, BECOME A MEMBER and be part of a growing community of screen practitioners in Regional Australia.
Production companies and heads of departments interested in taking on trainee placements in 2023, can contact Screenworks via email.
The Regional Crew Development Program is being delivered by Screenworks in partnership with Netflix, the NSW Government and Screen Queensland.
