The BECTU Vision Skills Boost programmes support existing crew looking to upskill in their departments, and also allows professionals working out-with the sector to transfer their skills to the Film and TV Industry.
Our Electrician Conversion Traineeship has been running since 2018, supporting qualified electricians to gain a first-hand insight into the day-day requirements of being an electrician on a television production.
In late 2024, Stephen Gilmour attended an open evening at Panalux in Glasgow, looking to find out more about working in the lighting department. Alongside a number of other electricians, Stephen was given a tour of the facilities, an opportunity to see some of the tools of the trade and connect with industry professionals.
Following the open evening and a successful interview, Stephen was selected as the Electrician Conversion Trainee 2025 – an exciting opportunity to join an experienced lighting department working on major Scottish productions.
We spoke to Stephen about taking part in the Electrician Conversion traineeship and how it has impacted his career.
“I passed my electrician’s apprenticeship in 2018 and I went on to work mainly as a commercial/ domestic electrician looking after shopping centres, retail parks and street lighting all over Scotland. I applied for the traineeship as I liked the idea of switching up my working life and being able to offer my skills towards something creative was something that has always interested me.”
The transition between industries
“The biggest difference between working on construction sites and working in film and TV is the range of people you meet and interact with on a daily basis. There are a lot of different people from all walks of life on set who come together to work on a project. I’ve also found that people are more likely to love their job on set too – something which isn’t commonplace on a building site!
“For me, the thing I like most about working in film and TV is that no two days are the same. One day you can be setting up a game show for the BBC in a studio and the next you can be in a Scottish castle filming a period drama. The freedom of being freelance is also a nice change from being a spark employed by a company. When you are working, it can be quite intense but it balances itself out with the down times between shoots.”
Joining the River City crew
“River City is a great place to find your feet. I had never worked behind a camera before, so getting used to the filming process and working with actors, boom ops, props and lighting rigs can be quite daunting at first. River City provided a friendly and welcoming atmosphere where I was able to be shown the ropes by guys with lots of industry experience and a nice pace of work. It was also great to get a taste of working with different crews and gaffers to see how different crews can operate.
“Days can often be longer on set than on other sites so that can sometimes be a shock for someone new to the industry like I was. Mornings are usually the busiest when you are setting up for the first shots and getting all the gear in place and then after that you have 10+ hours of ‘ebbs & flows’; tweaking lights, moving gear, running equipment from trucks and setting up mini-dumps of equipment.
“I had quite a busy 2025, thanks to all the great people I met during the traineeship. Most recently I’ve been doing a lot of work with the BBC – Hogmanay at the castle, BBC alba Hogmanay Pre-Rig at Govan Town Hall & a pilot called “Sheddites” which went out Jan 1st of this year on BBC Scotland to name a few.”
Reflecting on the traineeship
“The BECTU Vision traineeship was almost like a crash course in film & TV. It was a great way for me to get my name out there and meet a lot of different people from different crews. Most people work for years within the industry to build up these kind of connections. The experiences and job opportunities I have gained since have been invaluable.
“My advice for people looking to transition into the industry would be – get comfortable with knowing nothing again! It can be a shock to the system feeling like a first year apprentice for the first few weeks on a film set but it all comes together day-by-day. The knowledge and the bits of kit and how it all gets put together can all be learned – nobody expects you to know everything (especially when you first start). People will give you leeway if you show up with a good work ethic and the willingness to learn.”
Find out more about our Skills Boost programme here: bectuvision.org/training/skills-boost/
The Electrician Conversion traineeship is supported by Screen Scotland and the British Film Institute Skills Cluster Fund.
BECTU Vision is supported by Screen Scotland, Scottish Union Learning, and BBC in partnership with Bectu.