 Radio Regen Courses Overview
Radio Regen has expanded and
developed its training significantly
since its first course for
Manchester's unemployed in 1999. We now
offer several courses including a short course for new volunteers to community stations and a 10-week course for those out of work. All are registered
by Manchester College of Arts & Technology (MANCAT) .
Whichever level trainees choose to
pursue, often it begins at their local
community station.
"If you hear WFM or
ALL FM and think 'Wow! I'd love to get
involved in that' you can literally walk
through the door and do something,"
says Course Leader Anne Harbin, who
was recruited from BBC Radio London.
New volunteers can be on air and
presenting their own programmes after
just a three-day course at the station.
This "core training" known as Skills for Community Radio teaches basics like
microphone use, desk skills and interview
techniques.
Hands-on Radio Education
 Those that get the bug can take the
next step on the "volunteer journey" with
a 10 to 12 week Radio Production Skills at
Radio Regen's city centre HQ. With more
thorough tutoring in studio discipline,
production values and how to put
together a report, the aim is for them to
come away with the ability to do
"industry standard" work.
"It's a very practical course - day
one you're in the studio; day two you've
got a portable mini-disc recorder; week
two you're doing digital editing. You don't
need any experience. Learning how to do
radio is not rocket science, although
learning how to make it well takes a bit of
application and thought" Anne says.
The course brings together people
with a wide mixture of abilities, tastes
and backgrounds. You're likely to find an
18-year-old male R&B DJ working
alongside a 50-year-old woman returning
to work after raising children. What they
share is a passion for making radio.
WFM and ALL FM station managers
commission work from the trainees. Each
must produce a five minute report that
they research, script and edit themselves
as a final assignment. The managers
then give them feedback and if it is good
enough they're invited to the station for
it's broadcast.
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