Sound Women get mentors in new scheme

The BBC Academy and Sound Women have formed a partnership to launch a new mentoring scheme today.

It allows for thirty new mentees already working in the industry to progress their careers, and began this morning (Monday).

And all day today at the BBC Academy’s White City studio, thirty mentees from the BBC, commercial radio and the wider audio industry met their mentors – thirty successful women working in radio. These mentors include Lorna Clarke, Network Manager for BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music, BBC Radio 4 presenters Martha Kearney, Fi Glover and Jane Garvey, Somethin’ Else Head of Development Nicky Birch and Real Radio North West’s Sam Walker.

The mentoring scheme follows research by training agency Skillset, which shows that women in radio are less likely to make it to the top of the profession, whether on or off-air. Women are more likely to occupy administrative-based roles, and fewer work in technical areas. And while women working in radio are better qualified than men (73% of women have degrees, compared to 60% men) they are paid, on average, £2,200 less each year.

Natasha Maw, Programme Manager for Radio Training at the BBC Academy, is running the scheme in conjunction with Sound Women. Natasha says: “The BBC Academy believes that one of the best ways of developing female talent is through mentoring. This is a powerful and positive partnership of skills and resources – the scheme will give our mentees training by some of the brightest and best women in the industry.”

Sound Women Founder Maria Williams added: “Sound Women is all about unlocking the potential of women in radio. We believe this mentoring scheme will help develop the careers of some extremely talented and capable women – and that this will benefit the entire UK audio industry.”