The Black Academy, in partnership with Insight Productions, have launched a skills development program to help Black Canadians enter the screen-based industry.

The Black Academy’s co-founders, Shamier Anderson (pictured left) and Stephan James (pictured right), announced the training program on Wednesday (Sept. 21). Onyka Gairey of Insight Productions is the project management coordinator.

The program, titled The Black Academy Skills Development Program, is tailored to help emerging Black Canadian talent gain experience and foster their growth in TV production through mentorship, networking, hands-on and paid training, and career development.

It is designed to fit each participant’s skills, previous experience, and career goals. It has several streams that cover business affairs, editing, post-production, wardrobe, talent producing, story producing, line producing, and audio.

There are currently 15 participants registered in the program who will receive on-the-job training on productions such as The Legacy Awards, produced by The Black Academy and Insight Productions, which will air on CBC and CBC Gem on Sept. 25.

Anderson said in a statement that what makes The Black Academy’s Skills Development Program different from others is its customized training and networking opportunities “to suit each individual so that they can emerge from the program with demonstrable skills and contacts in their chosen field. This is what real change looks like.”

Image courtesy of The Black Academy