New television production facility offers Barnet College students chance to gain skills for jobs on offer at expanding film studios

Barnet and Southgate College students on creative and media production courses can now gain hands-on experience in tv, sound and animation at the Studio, a new multi-media production facility at the college’s Barnet campus.

Opened at a cost of £2.2 million – including specialist equipment valued at £1.4 million – the Studio allows students to create their own tv shows, soundtracks and visual effects.

Investing in a multimedia centre offering students real-world experience in developing their own content coincides with the rapid expansion of film and television studios within the UK and the opening of many employment opportunities.

Close to High Barnet are the well-established Elstree Studios and BBC Elstree Centre which have now been joined at Borehamwood by the recently completed Sky Studios Elstree complex – see above — which has 12 sound stages.

Thousands of new jobs are due to be created or are in the pipeline.

Sky is developing a Future Talent programme offering 12-month on-site placements and an academy to take young people behind the scenes.  

A planning inquiry is to be held in March into an application by Sky Studios for a second phase of its Elstree complex with an additional five sound stages.

Since the completion of its south studios in 2022, Sky has been hosting production teams from several major film companies but an application for a 71,000 square metre extension to the north, with another eight buildings, was rejected by Hertsmere Borough Council in March last year.

The extension, on land between Rowley Lane and the A1 Barnet bypass, was considered an inappropriate development within the Green Belt.

Sky lodged an appeal last November – objections must be submitted by March 4 and an eight-day inquiry is due to start on March 25.  

After officially opening the Studio at the Barnet campus, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, met some of the college students

Over 40 guests attended the ceremony including producer and songwriter Pete Waterman, Rebecca Hawkes, from Elstree Studios and Barnet College governor Adam Morley.

College chief executive officer and principal Neil Coker said the college was excited to see the Studio become a reality – “a true hub, where the industry can connect with the provision of skills, enabling the college to offer new talent and increased diversity in the workforce of the tv, sound production, animation and VFX sector.”

“Students can learn in a real-world environment, using industry-standard equipment and develop hands-on experience, from producing their own tv shows to creating bespoke soundtracks.”

He expressed his gratitude to London Assembly member, Councillor Anne Clarke, Barnet Council leader, Councillor Barry Rawlings, and the President of the college, Lord Levy.