Pictured: The Radio Academy's Katie Hill, Chris North and Aradhna Tayal Leach at Foot In The Door, Glasgow
Last month, Foot In The Door, our audio industry training and speed networking event headed to Glasgow.
Foot In The Door is a one-day event for people at entry and early career level in audio, to build skills development and open access to people and expertise, through training workshops and a facilitated speed-networking session.
We asked Executive Producer, Chris North, to guest blog his thoughts from the day.
As with our previous events we had huge support from across the radio and audio sector from in and around Glasgow, with 40 industry guests coming to share their knowledge, experience, and advice on getting a foot in the door to all aspects of the sector.
We were delighted to welcome George Bowie and Cassi Gillespie, Presenters of the ARIAS award-winning station Clyde 1’s Bowie @ Breakfast to open the afternoon in conversation with the Radio Academy’s Aradhna Tayal Leach. They discussed how to not only navigate breakfast radio and wake-up times but how to keep enjoying being on air and connecting to their large and dedicated audience.
The event managed to attract over 120 delegates who then went on to hear from leaders at BBC and Commercial radio, Podcast and content creators and Scottish Independent production companies sharing their knowledge across 6 breakout sessions. Topics ranged from getting the most from your personal, station and podcast brand through marketing and social media; to how to execute news, speech and sport content and audio drama. We also covered making music radio and executing great content in-between the tracks and outside the studio to how to use tech to get the edge on better content. All of this before our ever popular 90 minutes of speed-networking with more industry guests arriving to meet and chat with all the delegates in a relaxed (but speedy) way! Big thanks to all our speakers who gave up their time for free to attend.
Capital Scotland Breakfast presenter Fat Brestovci who led a session and took part with his colleagues from CCUK said, "Scotland loves radio, so it was wonderful for The Radio Academy’s Foot In The Door event to be held here - bringing loads of passionate people to one room so we could all geek out together! I loved getting to meet the next generation of producers and presenters, hearing their fresh thoughts and ideas was so inspiring and taught me loads. Producer Ryan and I left the evening with a real spring in our step, holding hands and skipping down the road - firm in the knowledge that the future of Scottish radio is looking very luscious indeed. And we now have a dozen new interns joining us on the breakfast show in the coming months. What a huge success! I can’t wait for the next one."
If you get the chance to listen to the Radio Academy Podcast special from Presenters Sean Thorne, Conor Knight and Robyn Richford you’ll hear how Foot in the Door allows delegates to meet each other and learn from industry guests, but how industry speakers too are inspired by the energy and enthusiasm there is to work in our sector.
As Conor Knight says: "Foot In the Door, Glasgow was 10/10. Running a session was the most fun, sharing experience to help others and have a conversation with some excellent people who I learnt so much from also, I think that’s the best bit of Foot In The Door, whether you are already in the industry, or trying to find your first step, we are all still learning on the day, together! I can’t wait for the next one."
It's more than just outreach, it’s going away from the day to day or the office, getting a chance to remember why we do what we do, and remember that we are always looking for new perspectives and new people to help us move things forward. We get to discover new talented people, and everyone gets to learn something.
We’re looking to visit Birmingham, Manchester and Belfast in the future, so let us know if you’d like to be involved or attend.
Chris North, Executive Producer, Foot In The Door