Part of the ethos of Radio TechCon is to make the event as inclusive and accessible as possible.
We know that not everybody can afford the cost of purchasing a ticket.
Therefore, thanks to the support of our wonderful sponsors, we are able to offer two types of bursary.
(These are in addition to the discounts offered to members of industry associations – see the tickets page for more details).
Organisation Bursary
Credit: Vincent Lo
This bursary is aimed at organisations which work with sections of the radio industry that we know contain people less likely to be able to afford to attend the conference.
It is jointly supported from the contributions of our main sponsors: Broadcast Bionics, Arqiva, the IET, Broadcast Radio, RCS and Preco.
Three nominated groups – Community Media Association, Student Radio Association and Sound Women Network – have been given three tickets each. They are able to distribute them how the see fit. This may take the form of awarding them as a thank-you to a hardworking volunteer, using them as a prize in a competition, or in any way which works with the values of that organisation.
If you are interested in applying for one of these bursary places, you need to contact the CMA, SRA and SWN directly. Radio TechCon does not have any control over how the organisations decide to distribute tickets to their members.
Individual Bursary
In addition to the Organisation Bursary, we are delighted to offer the Individual Bursary.
Thank you to Brun Audio Consulting, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Bauer Media, Burli, Ann Charles Media and Clockhouse Media for their generous support in sponsoring these bursaries.
There are nine tickets available under this scheme.
To be eligible, you need to meet at least one of the criteria below, and complete the application form by midnight on Wednesday, 31st October 2018.
We will let the successful applicants know by Monday, 5th November.
If you are not eligible you can still help – please share this page with your networks!
Individual Bursary eligibility
Credit: Vincent Lo
At Radio TechCon we really care about having a equal, diverse and inclusive industry, and we love being a part of the radio, audio, engineering and technology community. This year, we are delighted to offer nine Individual Bursaries to make sure that everyone who wants to join us feels they have a fair opportunity to come along.
These Individual Bursaries are intended for people who have barriers which may prevent them from attending, such as financial constraints. We are also keen to encourage applicants who are currently underrepresented in engineering – this may include, but is not limited to: people with disabilities, LGBTQI+, BAME, women, carers etc.
This bursary is not intended for companies or organisations to use instead of buying tickets for their staff.
We use an honour system. We trust that if you apply, it’s because you understand the ethos of the scheme and believe that you are eligible. If you will benefit from attending Radio TechCon and have financial constraints or feel underrepresented then we want to hear from you – please apply now.
The details…
- There are nine Individual Bursaries available.
- The Individual Bursary is a free ticket to Radio TechCon 2018. It does not include travel or accommodation (though we’d love to be able to cover this in future years). Lunch and refreshments are included as part of the ticket.
- If you apply for, or receive, a Individual Bursary, we won’t tell anybody. We are very happy for you to talk/blog/social media about it if you wish!
- If we receive more than nine applications, we will review the entries with a panel of people from the industry to help make the selection. We will make sure they keep your application confidential.
- The deadline for applications is midnight on Wednesday, 31st October.
- We will let you know whether your application has been successful by Monday, 5th November.
- Radio TechCon takes place on Monday, 26th November 2018 at IET London: Savoy Place.
And finally…
Building community and sharing the love of engineering and technology is important to us, so if you receive a bursary, we ask that you share the knowledge you gained at Radio TechCon with others in some way. This doesn’t have to be complicated – e.g. it could be a blogpost, vlog, small presentation to the team at your station, poster, interpretive dance… Whatever works for you and your circumstances!
If you have any questions, please contact team@radiotechcon.com
Why are you doing this?
Credit: Radio Today/Vincent Lo
Broadcast engineering with a specialism in radio or audio is the best job in the world! Bringing different parts of the technical community together to share ideas each year gives a wonderful opportunity for new creativity and friendships to spark.
However, as much as we adore our industry and colleagues, engineering can lack diversity.
We all know that to solve problems, we need people with a range of experiences and backgrounds. We also need to attract new talent to our industry, as there is a shortage of broadcast engineers in the UK at present.
Radio TechCon is magic, and we want to share our collective buzz and excitement for the work we all do in our various jobs with as many people as possible.
The two bursary schemes mean that roughly 10% of the Radio TechCon audience will have benefited from a supported place. Our industry works best when we support each other, so this is a small step to help bring down the barriers to becoming more involved in the radio and technology community.
How can I help?
Credit: Vincent Lo
If you are eligible to apply, please do!
If you are not eligible, please share this page with your networks, so that other people are able to find out about the scheme.
Remember, the deadline for applications for the Individual Bursary is midnight on Wednesday, 31st October.
If you would like to sponsor more bursary places, or have feedback on how to improve our outreach, please e-mail team@radiotechcon.com
Radio TechCon only happens once a year, so don’t forget that you can get a discount on tickets if you are a member of an industry organisation. It’s all about getting involved! See the tickets page for more details.
Many thanks to ffconf for the inspiration for this scheme.
