Bow cinema worker landed “life changing” Olympic apprenticeship with the BBC

A cinema box office worker from Bow, who landed a BBC apprenticeship says the experience has been “life changing”.

Luke Boatright, 20, was searching the web for production opportunities when he came across ‘Find Your Place’, a BBC scheme aimed a creating a social legacy on the back of the 2012 Games by offering work placements for residents in the Olympic host boroughs.

Luke, of Arnold Road, gave up working at a cinema box office after being offered the year-long apprenticeship, paying �11,000, last April.

Luke, who had previously volunteered for radio and produced his own short films, spent six months as a runner on children’s BBC.

His role on CBBC involved meeting and greeting on air talent, finding props and prizes, and writing short presentation links. As part of the scheme he also attends college one day a week.

Luke said: “It’s been life-changing, it’s a whole different world. I’ve been taught lots of production skills and its given me a lot of contacts for my career.”

As part of the scheme Luke is now working for the entertainment company Endemol which has a contract with the BBC. Luke, who hopes to get experience as TV researcher before becoming a producer, has also landed extra weekend work for Sports Relief as a result of the scheme.