Bootcamp leads to business growth
11 October 2023
Some of the Radman TV team: (left to right) Debbie, Grace, Fabrizio, Radman, Valeria and Margaret
A local content production company is going from strength to strength after its creator, Radman Rock, went on a bespoke training course that gave him with the skills needed to take his business to the next level.
The 21-year-old from Coventry set up Radman TV in July 2022 as a one-man operation but then enrolled on the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) funded Content Creation for Business skills bootcamp, which is overseen by Create Central, an industry body set up to turbo-charge the region’s TV, film and gaming industries.
Now, Radman TV boasts a team of ten students working alongside him to deliver video content for a wide range of clients including Birmingham City University, Coventry University and Coventry Building Society.
Radman said, “Attending Create Central’s content creation bootcamp equipped me with the skills I needed to take my business to the next level. Not only have I developed my digital production skills, I have also learnt about the legalities of running a business and how to lead a team successfully, enabling me to build a team of ten young people.
“We now have the systems in place to deliver on larger scale projects and deal professionally with bigger corporate clients. Being able to support other young people in developing their skills so they can flourish in the creative industry really helps me feel I am contributing and giving back.
“I’d like to thank everyone at Create Central and Solihull College for their support in equipping me with these higher-level skills helping my business to reach and exceed its potential.”
The specialist content creation bootcamp, which is delivered by Solihull College and University Centre for Create Central is an intensive month-long programme aimed at West Midlands people looking to develop their digital media skills capabilities. Employers and the industry shape and design the training in partnership so that the skills gained meet the needs of local businesses, working to real live business project briefs.
The bootcamp trains people in basic filming and editing, enabling trainees to produce professional standard content for corporate websites and social media. Trainees also gain an understanding of business, marketing and how to make a company’s brand appealing through the content they create.
Radman said this part of the training was especially useful allowing him to expand his business and offer opportunities to other young people keen to get into the content production industry.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair - who met Radman in his role as a photographer on the set of BBC’s medical soap opera ‘Doctors’ - said: “A key part of my mayoral mission is to help ensure local people have the skills they need to succeed. Radman’s personal story is a wonderful example of that - a driven entrepreneur who benefitted from this specialist bootcamp and has grown his business now employing others keen to join the creative industries.
“By funding organisations such as Create Central, we’re delivering bootcamps that are co-designed by industry to meet sector specific skills needs.
“Radman’s experience demonstrates the success of this approach which I’m sure will generate plenty more opportunities for local people right across our region in the months and years ahead.”
Cllr George Duggins, the WMCA’s portfolio holder for productivity and skills and leader of Coventry City Council, said, “Offering tailored bootcamp training such as this content creation course is a productive way to provide the skills and knowledge needed by industries in the region. Radman’s experience shows how useful this type of training, working in partnerships, can be in developing and growing small businesses in the region.
Ed Shedd, Create Central Chair, said: "Our innovative skills bootcamps are a testament to the West Midlands' commitment to nurturing talent in the creative content industries. With support from the WMCA and training providers like Solihull College & University Centre, Create Central aims to open doors for creative individuals from underrepresented backgrounds and empower them to pursue exciting careers in the sector.
“Our industry members play a pivotal role in shaping the bootcamps, and we are thrilled to offer not just training but real-life work experiences that can lead to promising careers in this thriving sector. It's a powerful step towards strengthening the region's creative landscape and creating new opportunities for talent like Radman to shine."
Find out more about Radman's company on his website.