At Grimsby Institute, students aren’t just given an insight into TV production - they’re working within it by running Estuary Student TV, an in-house, industry-standard channel.
In a region where social deprivation is high, students from disadvantaged and under-represented communities are placed directly into a real-life work environment, gaining skills and knowledge directly from experts with careers in the industry.
The college invested in hiring a channel manager and building a production office. As soon as the young people step on to set, they are no longer treated as students but as crew members. They’re held against industry expectations and are expected to commit to being flexible, available and willing to travel to cover news and events 24 hours a day.
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As a direct result of Estuary Student TV, employer-based projects at the college increased by 50 per cent last year, with many local businesses hiring the team to create promotional videos, cover events and run social media campaigns.
The statistics speak for themselves. Attendance on the course is
94 per cent, with achievement and pass rates both standing at 99 per cent. Student satisfaction is 100 per cent and positive progression was observed in all teaching sessions.
The judges were impressed with the college’s student-directed and student-centred approach. They said: “Grimsby Institute has really committed to ensuring students have real-world skills and the programme leads towards employment - a really important aim given the high levels of disadvantage many students face.”
