Global student On Air project is already igniting careers

“What we are doing is really ambitious,” Russell Trafford‑Jones, Chair, IET Media Technical Network. “We want students to face the same problems we face at work. That’s how you know you’ve built a real broadcast environment.” 

“The quality of the content is insane,” added Scott Kerr, Lead Solution Architect, Sky. He volunteers as a technical lead on the project and said the complexity is intentional. 

“Students don’t normally get exposure to roles like playout, gallery operations or cloud contribution. On Air lets them discover jobs they didn’t even know existed.” 

The project, part of IBC’s year‑round Talent Programme, brings together students from 18 universities worldwide to produce a continuous 24‑hour broadcast. Last year’s edition was hosted from Ravensbourne University and ran a single live channel. This year, On Air moves to the University of Westminster — and the scale jumps to five channels (including for culture, sports and film) and five studios, each operated by rotating student crews. 

“The project transforms confidence,” said Molly Cole, Consultant for AI Transformation at Platform Comms. “Students suddenly realise they belong in the industry. They meet professionals, build networks, and gain experience they can put straight on their CVs.” 

Last year’s broadcast connected universities across six continents, with students contributing live segments from New Zealand to the United States. The technical challenge was enormous: unpredictable campus infrastructure, varied equipment, and the need to coordinate 24 hours of continuous output. 

This year’s expansion requires even more engineering: OB trucks, SRT gateways across campus, cloud playout, multi‑studio routing and a hybrid of on‑prem and cloud workflows. 

“It’s a rising‑tide project,” Trafford‑Jones said. “Every year the industry gets better because the next generation gets better.” 

Organisers say the initiative is already changing careers. One student discovered playout during last year’s broadcast, stayed for the full 24 hours, and is now working in the field. 

“That’s the magic of On Air,” Kerr said. “Real tools, real pressure, real opportunity.” 

The channels go live on YouTube from 22 October as part of the industry’s Media Talent Manifesto. Everyone is encouraged to support the participants and subscribe. 

For hundreds of students worldwide, it may be the moment their broadcast careers truly begin.