Post from 2012 Audio Production Alumnus Simon Ross.

Last time I wrote a post for the LSM blog I had pretty much just started life with the BBC. Almost 2 years down the line, I am now typing from a brand new studio desk at BBC Radio Lincolnshire at the end of what has been a very busy few months.

My regular duties are working as a Broadcast Assistant at weekends, covering the on-air broadcast of programmes on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. I will also find myself covering other programmes during the week, including Mid Morning, Afternoon and Drivetime. So what has changed?

First of all, BBC Radio Lincolnshire no longer has its own dedicated BBC Introducing programme. This is what gave me my “foot in the door” in my final year as an Audio Production student. It was a real shame to see that go; however, this developed a new opportunity for me to spend time at BBC Radio Nottingham working on their Introducing East Midlands programme.

What has been particularly pleasant is I now find myself taking my work out of the studios on a more regular basis. During the summer months I have been fortunate enough to work at various music festivals on BBC Introducing stages as a Floor Manager. I have also been representing BBC Radio Lincolnshire at major events around the county. We often have live performances from local musicians when we travel to these events, so my Audio Production degree gets put to fantastic use when I’m setting up a stage in a town market place or on the beach.

The highlight of my career so far is when I visited the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Coningsby. It began as a leisurely trip, but word quickly spread that “somebody from the BBC” was visiting after I had posted a tweet earlier in the day. I was invited to return to the BBMF in the latter months of 2013 for an exclusive look behind the scenes during the winter service period. This when the iconic Lancaster Bomber (the treasured aircraft we regularly see fly over Buckingham Palace, and one of only two airborne Lancasters in the world) is grounded from the skies for maintenance and repairs.

I spent a day speaking to engineers, pilots, ground crew and veterans, and produced a 5 part series which was broadcast on BBC Radio Lincolnshire over the new year. This is quite easily my proudest achievement to date, and the enormity of what I was fortunate enough to be a part of hasn’t entirely sunk in yet.

My connections with the University of Lincoln have remained very close. I have participated in a number of guest lectures and networking events, and I am always happy to speak to students and graduates seeking advice about their own careers. Contact me via email: simon.ross1@bbc.co.uk or via Twitter: @simonross46  Cheers!