Personalized Training Schedule

The NBTN apprenticeship training program is a self-paced program designed to be completed in approximately six months.  After completion of your initial four prerequisite segments you'll be ready to begin working with your mentor at the station.  You'll work together to schedule in-station training sessions that fit around each others job schedule and personal time commitments.  Keep in mind, every apprenticeship is a custom, one-of-a-kind experience and the actual scheduling will be unique to the two individuals involved - you and your mentor.

There are two distinct aspects to this training program. First, you'll begin your "formal" training, the actual coursework, recording, and producing assignments through NBTN Online.  Next, you'll add the actual  "in-station" aspect with your mentor at a local radio/TV station.  Typically you and your mentor will agree on a set day and time each week to meet at the station for your formal sessions. When you meet, you'll go over the latest assignment you've been practicing and working on during the week.

For example, maybe you've been working on Segment five and your assignment that particular week is to record some commercials from your coursework.  On the scheduled day and time you'll go to the station and meet with your mentor and record those ten commercials to the best of your ability.  Next, your mentor might sit down with you and play the recording back, stopping where necessary or desired to point out things that are working for you, things that are not working for you. Maybe you're still sounding a little "lazy" with your pronunciation. Maybe you're sounding too monotone. Maybe your personality isn't coming through enough yet. Your mentor will be providing guidance and instruction to help you overcome the problems he or she is hearing as you work your way through the course.

This constant process of going over your announcing work, one-on-one, is the key to developing a comfortable, consistent, on-air personality and delivery style.

Finally, your mentor understands that you are trying to break into the broadcasting industry, specifically at the station you're training through. As someone who also had to break into broadcasting at one time, your mentor knows the challenges you're likely to experience. Your mentor will try to get you involved in other aspects of the station's day-to-day operations as much as possible.

For instance, your mentor might mention that he's going to be in the studio all day on Saturday, editing a special program that's going to air next week. He or she might ask you if you want to spend the day learning the station's digital editing program and helping out with the project.

Your mentor might be doing a remote broadcast at a local club or at the local mall. He or she might ask you to come along and learn how they do their remote broadcasts, get involved, and meet some of the other staff.

Your mentor might invite you to sit in on his or her own show often, learning and observing as you go. This is a real, functioning, radio or TV station -  there's plenty to learn!

This combination of structured coursework, regular announcing and producing assignments, and regular involvement in various aspects of the station's day-to-day operation is a proven combination that works extremely well.

When an opening arises, who is in the best position to get the job, you or someone from the stack of resumes in the bottom of a drawer? It's much easier for radio/TV stations to hire someone who is already a familiar face, someone who's already familiar with their staff and their facility.