PGGB Membership Focus: Talent Development Alumni

As seen on PGGB.

PGGB has a long heritage in upskilling accountants and production roles – something we are incredibly proud of.

It’s vital for us to keep taking to our training participants after they’ve finished our courses, and, since our Talent Development Fund (TDF) training programme, funded by Netflix and Entertainment Partners, is open to non-members, we’ve created a PGGB Alumni tier to do just that. Our Alumni get a six-month taster of our Membership services – so we can keep in touch after completion of the course and support the next stage of their careers and the journey to full PGGB Membership.

For this feature we spoke to two PGGB Members and two PGGB Alumni about their experiences training with us, what they learnt, and what shape their careers have taken since.

We caught up with PGGB Members Tom Asquith, part of the Introduction to Production Management cohort with Entertainment Partners in Cardiff, and Andy Surry, who completed the Introduction to Line Producing course at Netflix’s offices in London.

We also spoke to two of our PGGB Alumni, Amrisha Varsani and Angus Ledgerwood, who completed the Netflix Step Up to Production Accountant (SUPA) and the Entertainment Partners Introduction to Production Management courses respectively.

I wanted to enhance my existing skills and be in a better position to move into the role. The course was also a great opportunity to create a nice network of other people on the same career path and exchange ideas."
– Andy Surry, Unit Production Manager, Netflix Introduction to Line Producing Trainee

Despite different backgrounds within the industry, all four participants were attracted to their course for similar reasons – a chance to refine their skills, and to build their networks.

For Amrisha, the SUPA course was not only “a great opportunity to gain specialised knowledge and skills crucial for managing production finances effectively”, but a chance to “build a stronger foundation to progress within the industry”.

Similarly, the principal attraction for Angus, was gaining that “connective tissue for understanding the role and how it all comes together”, and for Tom it was “a great way to build confidence to know that you’re doing the job correctly, and to see what that role was from other people’s perspectives - because there are many ways to complete the job.”

“I wanted to enhance my existing skills and be in a better position to move into the role. It was also a great opportunity to create a nice network of other people on the same career path and exchange ideas with people on different budget ranges, from different backgrounds” Andy puts it succinctly.

So with these aims – specialist learning and the creation of a support network – in mind, did the courses deliver?

“I’ve put some of the learnings into practice and have a much more rounded understanding of the production office” says Angus. “I’ve learnt the right questions to ask regarding financing, waterfall structuring and how it affects the budget.”

Tom also took away a lot in terms of personal and professional development: “Confidence is the best thing. You are dealing with problems every single day and standing up to experienced people is tricky at the best of times. The course taught me coping mechanisms to manage that. Also the importance of diversity, mental health, inclusivity – it opened my mind to the detail of taking time to do things for a positive outcome.”

As for the creation of a professional network, Amrisha is convinced of the effectiveness of the course, and the support afforded as a PGGB Alumni: “Being a part of this community has allowed me to stay informed about industry trends, best practices, and changes in regulations – it has been invaluable.”

The course also directly informed decisions she had in crewing up: “I benefitted from modules on mental health, hiring inclusively and managing teams… I hired someone neurodivergent totally off the back of the course and being more aware.”

“We learnt from each other” says Andy. “It had a really positive impact – I could do the course again and carry on taking more in. There were brilliant resources. And it’s nice to have the group to refer to.”

"Being a part of this community has allowed me to stay informed about industry trends, best practices, and changes in regulations – it has been invaluable. I benefitted from modules on mental health, hiring inclusively and managing teams." Amrisha Varsani Production Accountant, Entertainment Partners Step Up to Production Accountant Trainee

We were also interested to hear what the trainees had been up to in the time following the course, and how being part of a PGGB training course had affected professional and career development. We were delighted to hear that, despite some challenging times for our industry as a whole, all four continue to achieve success within their fields.

Tom has fully transitioned from the locations office to Production Management since the course, adding several credits from big budget production, including the latest series of Netflix’s The Witcher. He’s loving the new level of responsibility: “I love working, going to work and delivering a good job with my team. I love when the team I’m part of delivers very well and respectfully and professionally.”

Andy is also thriving, having worked on “some of the largest HETV shows made in the UK - Masters of the Air and Rings of Power. These were big productions in terms of budget and logistical requirements.”

Angus has been working on independent films, “covering more of production, putting course learnings into practice” with “a much more rounded understanding of the production office” than he had before,while Amrisha has progressed from Post-Production Accounting to Production Accounting, and is already enjoying the opportunity to pay it forward.

“I enjoy sharing my knowledge with newcomers in the department, helping them understand the field and grow in their roles” she says. “It’s especially fulfilling to provide opportunities for those who might not have had a chance to break into the film and TV industry.”

"I’ve put some of the learnings into practice and have a much more rounded understanding of the production office. I’ve learnt the right questions to ask regarding financing, waterfall structuring and how it affects the budget." Angus Ledgerwood Location Manager, Netflix Introduction to Production Management Trainee

This knowledge sharing is a common feature across all of our trainees, and something that we love to see throughout PGGB – so we asked for a piece of advice for the next generation from each of them.

“Don’t be afraid of furthering your knowledge” says Andy. “We are expected to be master of all trades but in reality you can’t be an expert in everything, so it’s great to utilise opportunities that these training schemes hold.”

For Tom, it’s about knowing your place on the set: “You need to try your hardest and don’t carry an ego, you’re managing a whole load of experts and you have to accept that you don’t know it all, so you need humility.”

For Amrisha, the key is to “Familiarise yourself with the industry. Build connections. Attend events, join relevant groups, and seek internships. Chatting with crew from other departments also gives you a useful insight into what may be happening throughout the production.”

Ultimately, says Angus, “it’s important to remember that working in film is a privilege, and it’s key for me to remember it’s a passion. These two things make it enjoyable for me. The harder you work the more opportunities and the more luck you have.”

Our Training and Talent Development department offers a wealth of resources to further your knowledge, career and understanding of our industry.

Delivered by top film and TV professionals at the cutting edge of production, our training courses are designed specifically to meet the needs of our Membership grades in production, accounts, locations, assistant directing, post-production and VFX.

Members are entitled to a 40% discount on these courses – a saving of up to £200 on our currently listed programme – as well as free courses, from our bite-sized online masterclasses to our imminent session on The Latest on US Unions.

We recognise that this is a challenging time for many in our industry and we're keen to make these courses as accessible as possible, so if you're a PGGB Member and cost is a barrier for you, please get in touch with us.

We’ve also recently launched our Member Development Helpdesk, offering individual tailored one-on-one professional development advice every Wednesday afternoon with our Head of Talent Development Becky Maynard.

To find out more about these and other training initiatives, please visit the Training section of PGGB's website.