From dealing with A-list celebrities to live national broadcasts, our media learners recently had the fantastic opportunity to learn all about the dynamic world of daytime TV from the Head of Film at ITV, Nick Rylance – a Weston College alumni! 

With a long history of working in the media industry, including acting, radio, film and live TV, Nick kindly hosted a 1 hour zoom call with our Media Production classes.  

The learners were in for a treat, hearing all about Nick’s journey to get to where he is today, starting in Weston-super-Mare. The learners, who’s modules include live TV production, were able to hear first-hand what it’s really like to work within mainstream broadcasting and dealing with world famous celebrities such as Tom Cruise, George Clooney and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to name a few.  

Having researched Nick’s background in acting and regular work with Lorraine Kelly, Philip Schofield  
Ben Shephard, Kate Garraway, Alison Hammond and more household names, the learners then had the chance to ask questions. Nick was able to give incredibly inciteful answers and advice around making contacts, the importance of work experience and how to operate professionally in stressful situations. 

Learners form the class added: 

“I’ve learnt that believing in myself is so important to success. The talk made me want to get out there and get even more work experience so that I can meet more people and make the most of every opportunity.” 

“It was very inspirational. It was amazing to hear about all of the different roles and changes in Nick’s career as I’m not sure which path to follow at the moment. I feel more confident about getting a job and that being nice and just being myself is important” 

High-profile guest speakers and lecturers are just one of the career-boosting benefits that stem from the college’s newly formed Creative Arts Career Excellence Hub. These innovative subject specific hubs allow for students at Weston College to have access to exclusive career-boosting benefits. Endorsed by employers from within the industry, this enables for better integration with the sector to make sure class content is relative and opens doors for learners so they leave college with more than just a qualification. 

Lecturer in Media, Richard Simms commented: “Having guest speakers from the media industry is an essential part of the course. It allows learners to meet professionals and see their career journeys. 

“Nick gave a fascinating and fabulous talk about his career, which reinforced the skills and development we champion on the Level 3 media production course. His journey from Weston College to ITV is not only inspiring, but it also makes it real for our learners.  His advice, enthusiasm and knowledge engaged the learners and will only benefit them as they progress through the course and beyond.” 

We’d like to say a huge thank-you to Nick for taking the time to inspire our Media learners through his years of industry knowledge and experience! 

Click here to read more about our Career Excellence Hubs

Click here to discover our courses in Media Production, Film and TV.