After finishing University I began a 5 week work placement at Sky in July. Working as a Production Assistant/Data Wrangler.
The role involved downloading, renaming and foldering thousands of images per day. I was brought into Sky to help the team get ready for the new season. I mainly worked with Football Imagery but also worked with Cricket, Rugby and Horse Racing images. I learned how to use new software such as Bulk Rename Utility as well as Adobe Bridge for this role. These programmes saved me hours of time and allowed me to reach the goals I set myself each day.
During this placement I showcased my hard work ethic, persistence and attention to detail as I would try to get as many teams files completed as possible.
The role involved creating the same naming convention throughout each sport/team. This had to be implemented across all sports and follow the same structure as it has done in previous years.
What I learned?
Firstly, as previously mentioned I learned how to use Adobe Bridge and Bulk Rename Utility to help me with the Data Wrangling process of dealing with thousands of files. The most important thing I learned however wasn't how to use the software but instead how I dealt with the new environment and the deadlines set to me.
To work for a company like Sky it was quite a big jump from University life. On my first few days I was quite starstruck, in awe of the place. Walking into offices with hundreds of people working away on computers, you see first hand all of the hard work and roles that go into the creative operations.
At the start I was quite nervous, scared I'd fail, to not meet deadlines, that I'd get things wrong. However a few days into the role my mentality changed. The working environment was very friendly and kind, I had support from my colleagues, all I needed to do was get out of my own head, believe in myself and knuckle down.
I started asking more questions if I was stuck, I would write pages and pages of notes per day so that I'd learn all the responsibilities and tasks that would come with the role. I even asked if I could practise with files from the previous years imagery so that when the job truly began I would be ready and at my best.
Within a matter of days I learned the entire job role, I had full belief in my ability, and as the work came in I was coping really well with the workload. It was at this time I learned yet again the power of mentality and belief. I believed in myself because every time I put my mind to something and give everything I succeed. I always persevere and I don't give up, never.
Challenges?
The toughest part of the job was the final few days before the season began, suddenly the amount of files coming in was at double the usual rate, this was challenging to cope with but me and the team coped well. We stayed calm, went about the process the same way as before and got the job done in time.
Advice
The advice that I can give to anyone joining a company like Sky after leaving an environment like University is that you can't really be prepared for how different the working world is. However be yourself, be kind, be polite and ask as many questions as possible. If you work hard and give it everything they will be happy with your performance. Most importantly have fun and enjoy it.
Final Thoughts?
I was so lucky to work at a company like Sky straight after my University course. However luck comes and goes, when it comes you ride that luck. All of the colleagues were such nice people and it was an amazing working environment. It was hard work but I had so much fun. I really enjoyed my time at Sky and to work with Premier League images in particular was very enjoyable for me as I am a lifelong Football fan. I have now proved I can do this role in an industry environment. It gives me a lot of confidence and a lot more knowledge for my next job. I just hope I find work soon, Sky was an incredible experience and I really hope I'll be back again someday.
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