Kirsty Walker

My name’s Kirsty and I’m a 2009 graduate from the University of Lincoln with a 2:1 in Media Production. I loved every minute of my time there. I met some great people, I had the best nights out and most importantly I learned a great deal about making great productions.

Firstly, I’m an Office and Learning Assistant at a Learning Centre in Cheshire. It might not sound great and to start with had nothing to do with my degree but this has helped me teach people computer skills and has given me something to put on my CV to prove I can work in an office environment with a wide variety of people, plus last week Stuart Hall came to the centre to learn how to use the internet and the BBC filmed it for their Get Online week they are running and I‘m the person teaching him in the VT.

So never think it won’t get you anywhere and opportunities can come from nowhere to begin with and it might take you a little bit of time to get there but it will happen and the reward is amazing.

And since starting at the centre, my role has changed and evolved and I’m now also our Social Media Communicator, which means I created and look after the centre’s Facebook and Twitter pages, which has proved a huge hit with learners and also I have been instrumental in creating our new website and adding content to it as well as two other websites we are linked with.

In my spare time, I volunteer with First Light Digital as a Digital Documenter Production Assistant, which has been absolutely fantastic and I’m having a great time. The project at the moment is linked to making films for the Olympic Games 2012 and what it means for young people around the UK. 

Having my degree from Lincoln enables me to do this role really well and I now head a team of people who haven’t got any media training and I teach them in various roles. So far, I have had documentary training from Mandy Chang, blogging techniques from Cut Magazine in London and the North West team are being mentored by Dana Bruce from ITV.

I would highly recommend anyone to try out volunteering as you get to meet so many interesting people who can help you achieve your goals whilst doing something you love.

Through this, I have now been offered freelance work as a Production Assistant as people start to notice you within the industry and we are now being approached by media companies who want to work with us!