Trainee Finder is an entry-level placement programme which places individuals on animation, children's live-action TV, film and high-end TV productions to ensure a continued supply of a new generation of talent, capable of world-class creative content. They become part of an industry-recognised group of trainees, receiving exclusive access to training placements.
This year, the Children’s TV Skills Fund, Film Skills Fund and High-end TV Skills Fund have come together to deliver a single ScreenSkills Trainee Finder programme, creating access to a range of training opportunities across the UK.
While maintaining its scale, this means the programme can be even more agile and responsive to production needs, offering opportunities for those at an early stage in their careers to develop their skills and build experience across more than one genre, reflecting how the workforce is evolving. There will also be opportunities for productions to recruit locally, helping to build a stronger UK-wide crew base.
The Animation Skills Fund continues to deliver its own Trainee Finder programme.
Taking trainees through Trainee Finder enables you to claim funding for part of the duration of the trainees' time on the production. You must be a paying member of either the Film Skills Fund, High-end TV Skills Fund, Animation Skills Fund, or Children's TV Skills Fund.
All trainees go through a three-stage application process and are shortlisted after the input of industry professionals.
Find out more about the process, including how much you can claim, in the FAQs below. If you would like to speak to one of the Trainee Finder team please email one of the following:
Animation: Matt Brothers
Film: Naomi Joseph
High-end TV and children’s TV: Stephanie De La Paz
What is Trainee Finder?
Trainee Finder is an entry-level paid placement scheme which places trainees on productions to ensure a continued supply of a new generation of talent, capable of world-class creative content. The programme is supported by ScreenSkills Animation Skills Fund with contributions from UK animation productions.
How does a production access Trainee Finder?
Productions contributing to the Animation Skills Fund are eligible to take on Animation Trainee Finder trainees. Please contact Matt Brothers for more information about paying into the Animation Skills Fund.
How does ScreenSkills select Trainee Finder trainees?
Our pool of trainees is selected from an open call, with candidates selected based on their experience and desire to work in the industry. Applicants must provide two testimonials and are interviewed and selected by some of the best professionals in the industry.
Extensive outreach, and fair selection processes, mean that the pool of trainees applying to the scheme, and therefore selected for Trainee Finder, are diverse and inclusive.
What roles does Animation Trainee Finder cover?
There is a particular focus on roles identified as shortage areas - animator, storyboard artist, rigger - and the much in-demand role of production coordinator, across on 2D, 3D, stop motion, and also production, art department and storyboard artists’ productions. Roles that may be offered include junior animator, assistant animator, storyboard artist assistant, storyboard revisionist, junior rigger, production coordinator, or production assistant for example.
Trainee Finder is an entry level programme, so trainees have no more than a year’s experience in working on animation productions when they join the scheme.
Is there a time limit to the duration of a placement?
The minimum duration of a placement is four weeks and the maximum period is 40 weeks. Productions can take up to three trainees, dependent on their Animation Skills Fund contribution or donation to the Fund.
How is the trainee selected for a production?
We have a database of trainees based across the UK who are available for placements. Following discussion with the production, ScreenSkills will provide CVs for the pre-selected trainees who have been given a place on Trainee Finder and who have taken part in an induction to prepare them for professional work. The production contacts the trainee(s) directly to arrange an interview/find out more details. Once a trainee has been selected, please contact ScreenSkills to complete the relevant paperwork. We would highly recommend that trainees are confirmed as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Who employs and pays the trainees?
The production employs the trainees on a fixed term contract, rather than a freelance contract, and they must be paid through the production payroll.
How much should a production pay the trainees?
The production must pay the trainee a basic salary, set by the company at a rate at or above National Living Wage/National Minimum Wage. Productions are expected to pay trainees at a rate of around £550 per week gross (including Employers NI, tax, holiday pay and pension contribution) and abide by all relevant legislation.
Can ScreenSkills make a financial contribution to trainee wages?
ScreenSkills can contribute up to a maximum of £250 per week towards the salary of a trainee for a standard five-day week. The number of weeks is dependent on the Animation Skills Fund contribution or donation to the Fund.
Is there a limit to the financial contribution ScreenSkills can make?
Yes, the maximum that a production can access is capped at 60% of the total Animation Skills Fund contribution or donation to the Fund.
How does the production claim up to £250 per week for trainee wages?
The production invoices ScreenSkills at the end of the trainee’s placement. Funding of the agreed amount can only be provided if the production has submitted, signed and returned all the necessary paperwork for ScreenSkills’ records: a signed trainee agreement, a fully completed training plan (stage one and stage two), and proof of trainee payment for each week worked.
What paperwork does ScreenSkills issue?
A contract is issued between ScreenSkills and the production. The production will issue the trainee with their own fixed-term crew contract that covers their terms and conditions, dates, location, expenses allowance, overtime rate (if applicable) and the allocated supervisor’s contact details.
What does the production need to do in relation to the placement?
The production allocates a named supervisor to support the trainee and provides the contact details of the supervisor to ScreenSkills. The supervisor’s role is to be the point of contact and guidance for the trainee and support their production training needs.
The supervisor and trainee complete the training plan together at the start of the placement, returning the updated plan to ScreenSkills promptly. In the plan they should set out the objectives for the duration of the placement and track their development. The supervisor has regular reviews with the trainee during the placement and completes all remaining parts of the training plan including their feedback. A template will be emailed to the production and trainee once the contract has been signed and we ask all supervisors to complete this in the first two weeks of the trainee being in their team.
How does Trainee Finder support the trainee?
Trainees attend an initial induction weekend in which they receive training in workplace etiquette, how to navigate the industry as a freelancer, and more. They are also given a bursary for expense needs.
Trainees also complete ScreenSkills’ online Tackling harassment and bullying at work and Addressing unconscious bias: basic awareness in the workplace training modules.
Will productions need to release a trainee for training courses?
Yes. From time to time, Trainee Finder organises training courses and events which the trainee is required to attend. Productions will need to ensure that a placed trainee is able to attend the arranged course. ScreenSkills will give as much notice as possible of training dates.
What is Trainee Finder?
Trainee Finder is an annual entry-level placement scheme which matches trainees with children’s TV productions, offering them on-the-job experience while ensuring a continued supply of talent for the industry. Trainees are recruited, shortlisted and interviewed by heads of departments from the department they apply to.
Which departments do you support?
- Accounts
- Art department
- Camera
- Costume
- Edit
- Floor runner
- Hair and make-up
- Locations
- Production office runner
- Sound
Our current TV Trainee Finder trainees are ready and available to be placed onto productions that contribute to the Children’s TV Skills Fund. NB: we also have trainees who work in factual television.
How does a production access Trainee Finder?
Productions that contribute to the Children’s TV Skills Fund can access the Trainee Finder pool of trainees. Please contact Sarah Joyce for further information about contributing to the Children’s Skills Fund.
How does ScreenSkills support productions in relation to Trainee Finder?
ScreenSkills offers productions up to £9,000 of support. This breaks down as £250 per week towards the salary of each trainee to a maximum of 36 weeks.
How do productions claim £250 per week when taking on a trainee?
Productions that take on Trainee Finder trainees invoice ScreenSkills at the end of the placement. Funding will be provided once the production has submitted, signed and returned all the necessary paperwork for our records.
Is there a time limit to the duration of a placement?
The minimum duration of a placement is four weeks and the maximum duration is 12 weeks per trainee. In total a production can have trainees for a period of 36 weeks - with flexibility to adjust the duration if fewer trainees are taken, as long as the total doesn't exceed 36 weeks.
How are trainees selected?
Productions have access to the CVs of Trainee Finder trainees. Productions can contact trainees directly to arrange an interview or to find out more about them. Once a trainee has been selected, please contact ScreenSkills to complete the relevant paperwork.
Is there a maximum number of trainees per production?
Maximum of three trainees for up to 12 weeks - with the same flexibility to adjust the duration if fewer trainees are taken, as long as the total doesn't exceed 36 weeks.
What paperwork does ScreenSkills issue?
A training agreement will be issued between ScreenSkills and the production. Additionally, the production will need to provide the trainee with their own fixed-term crew contract that covers their terms and conditions, dates, location, expenses allowance and overtime rate and, if applicable, the contact details of their allocated supervisor.
The allocated supervisor on the production will also draw up a training plan with the trainee. This plan needs to be sent to the production before the placement starts and we ask all supervisors to complete this in the first two weeks of the trainee being in their team.
How does the production pay the trainee?
By payroll, as the trainee is contracted via a fixed-term contract.
What does the production need to do in relation to the placement?
The production needs to book the trainee, agreeing hours and rate. The production also assigns a supervisor to the trainee and provides ScreenSkills with the contact details of the supervisor. The supervisor has regular reviews with the trainee and works with them on their training plan. The supervisor’s role is to be the point of contact and guidance for the trainee and to support them with training needs when they are on production.
How does Trainee Finder support trainees?
Each trainee has been selected by department-specific industry professionals to take part in the programme. Before starting their first placement, they complete an induction to help them be ready for their traineeship.
Trainee Finder provides ongoing support for the trainee by providing the details of industry professionals who can answer questions and offer advice when trainees request this.
Trainee Finder also organises training courses and events, which can include career planning workshops, mental health awareness training and finance for freelancers for trainees to attend during their time on the programme. We ask that all productions release their trainees to take part in this important, compulsory training.
What is Trainee Finder?
Trainee Finder is an entry-level paid placement programme that places trainees on productions to ensure a continued supply of a new generation of talent, capable of world-class creative content.
How does a production access Trainee Finder?
Productions contributing to the Film Skills Fund are eligible to take on Film Trainee Finder trainees. Please contact Naomi Joseph at naomi.joseph@screenskills.com for more information about paying into the Film Skills Fund.
How does ScreenSkills select Trainee Finder trainees?
Our pool of trainees is selected annually based on their experience and desire to work in their chosen department. Applicants must provide testimonials and are interviewed and selected by some of the best crew in the industry. ScreenSkills trainees are selected via our application process that encourages applications from under-represented groups, including, but not limited to those from minority ethnic backgrounds; people with a disability; people from the LGBTQ+ community and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. We encourage inclusivity across each of our programmes and welcome candidates from all part of the UK.
Which departments does Film Trainee Finder cover?
- Accounts
- Art department
- Assistant director
- Camera
- Costume and wardrobe
- Editorial
- Hair and make-up
- Locations
- Production office
- Sound (location)
- Video assist/DIT
Trainee Finder is an entry level programme, so trainees have no more than a year’s experience in that department working on feature films when they join the programme.
Is there a time limit to the duration of a placement?
The minimum duration of a placement is four weeks, and the maximum period is 20 weeks.
How is the trainee selected for a production?
We have a database of trainees based across the UK who are available for placement in a variety of departments. Following discussion with the production, ScreenSkills provide CVs for pre-selected trainees who have been given a place on Trainee Finder and who have taken part in a set ready induction. The production contacts the trainee directly to arrange an interview/find out more details. Once a trainee has been selected, please contact ScreenSkills to complete the relevant paperwork. We would highly recommend that trainees are confirmed as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Who employs and pays the trainees?
The production employs the trainees on a fixed term contract and they are paid through the production payroll.
Can ScreenSkills make a contribution to trainee wages?
ScreenSkills can contribute up to a maximum of £325 per week towards the salary of a trainee for a standard five-day week.
How much should a production pay the trainees?
Productions should pay no less than the National Minimum Wage and abide by all relevant legislation.
Is there a limit to the financial contribution ScreenSkills can make?
Yes, this will depend on several factors, including the budget of the film.
What paperwork does ScreenSkills issue?
A contract is issued between ScreenSkills and the production. The production will issue the trainee with their own fixed-term crew contract that covers their terms and conditions, dates, location, expenses allowance, overtime rate (if applicable) and the allocated supervisor’s contact details. The allocated supervisor and trainee will also complete a ScreenSkills training plan, in which they set out their objectives for the duration of the placement and can track their development.
How does the production claim up to £325 per week for trainee wages?
The production invoices ScreenSkills at the end of the trainee’s placement. Funding of the agreed amount can only be provided if the production has submitted, signed and returned all the necessary paperwork for ScreenSkills’ records: a signed trainee agreement, a fully completed training plan (stage one and stage two) and proof of trainee payment for each week worked.
What does the production need to do in relation to the placement?
The production allocates a named supervisor to support the trainee and provides the contact details of the supervisor to ScreenSkills. The supervisor’s role is to be the point of contact and guidance for the trainee and support their production training needs. The supervisor and trainee complete stage one of the training plan together and return to ScreenSkills promptly. The supervisor has regular reviews with the trainee during the placement and completes all remaining parts of the training plan including their feedback.
How does Trainee Finder support the trainee?
Trainees attend an initial induction weekend in which they receive training in set etiquette, how to navigate the industry as a freelancer, and more. Trainees also complete ScreenSkills’ online training modules including: Introduction to Sustainability on production, Tackling harassment and bullying at work, Addressing Unconscious Bias in the Workplace, and Introduction to Mental Health Awareness at Work.
ScreenSkills offers further support to the trainees throughout the year. This includes ‘set ready’ training such as managing finances and mental wellbeing.
We also offer one-to-one pastoral support with the help of regional industry practitioners who are alumni of the programme and able to advise and assist trainees in taking their next steps, wherever they are based in the UK.
Will productions need to release a trainee for training courses?
Yes. From time to time, Trainee Finder organises training courses and events which the trainee is required to attend. Productions will need to ensure that a placed trainee is able to attend the arranged course. ScreenSkills will give at least three weeks’ notice of this training.
Which departments do you support?
Our current Trainee Finder trainees are ready and available to be placed on to productions that contribute to the High-end TV Skills Fund across 10 priority grades:
- Accounts
- Art department
- Camera
- Costume
- Edit
- Floor runner
- Hair and make-up
- Locations
- Production office
- Sound
We also have trainees who work in factual television.
How does a production access Trainee Finder?
Productions that contribute to the High-end TV Skills Fund can access the Trainee Finder pool of trainees by contacting us for their CVs. Please contact Stephanie De La Paz for further information about contributing to the High-end TV Skills Fund.
How does ScreenSkills support productions in relation to Trainee Finder?
The HETV Skills Fund pays £325 per week towards the salary of each trainee taken from the programme. Contributing productions are introduced to local and available trainees that we can provide funding for via our callout system.
How do productions claim £325 per week when taking on a trainee?
Productions that take on Trainee Finder trainees invoice ScreenSkills at the end of the placement. Funding will be provided once the production has submitted, signed and returned all the necessary paperwork for our records.
Is there a time limit to the duration of a placement?
We recommend a minimum of four weeks and a maximum of 20 weeks per trainee as this provides adequate time to develop the trainee’s skills. The total funding available for trainees relates to the HETV Skills Fund contribution. For example, productions that pay the lower cap of £76,200 into the HETV Skills Fund can access a maximum of 50 weeks of trainee time, so a funding total of (up to) £16,250 (50 weeks x £325 per week).
For productions that pay £119,800 there is a maximum of 70 weeks of trainee time per production, so a funding total of (up to) £22,750 (70 weeks x £325 per week). Note: If the total amount of trainee funding you require goes over these caps, contact us. We may have the flexibility to ensure productions can access their full 60% contribution.
How are trainees selected?
Productions have access to the CVs of Trainee Finder trainees via our callouts. Productions can contact trainees directly to arrange an interview or to find out more about them. Once a trainee has been selected, please contact ScreenSkills to complete the relevant paperwork.
What paperwork does ScreenSkills issue?
A funding agreement will be issued between ScreenSkills and the production. Additionally, the production will need to provide the trainee with their own fixed-term crew contract that covers their terms and conditions, dates, location, expenses allowance, overtime rate and, if applicable, the contact details of their allocated supervisor. The allocated supervisor on the production will also draw up a progression plan with the trainee. This plan needs to be sent to the production before the placement starts and we ask all supervisors to complete this in the first two weeks of the trainee being in their team.
How does the production pay the trainee?
By payroll, as the trainee is contracted via a fixed-term contract.
What does the production need to do in relation to the placement?
The production assigns a supervisor to the trainee and provides ScreenSkills with the contact details of the supervisor. The supervisor has regular reviews with the trainee and works with them on their training plan. The supervisor’s role is to be the point of contact and guidance for the trainee and to support them with training needs when they are on production.
How does Trainee Finder support trainees?
Each trainee has been selected by department-specific industry professionals to take part in the programme. Before starting their first placement, they have also completed an induction to help them be ready for their traineeship.
Trainee Finder provides ongoing support for the trainee by providing the details of industry professionals who can answer questions and offer advice when trainees request this. Trainees have access to free, confidential mental and wellbeing sessions held by Solas Mind. The trainees also get access to a trainee expenses pot of funding which can be used for training, relocation costs or to buy equipment for their kit.
Trainee Finder also organises training courses and events, which can include career planning workshops, mental health awareness training and finance for freelancers trainees to attend during their time on the programme.