Technorama welcomes young people and women to TR18

Let us help you get to TR18

We want people to Represent! at TR18.

If you’re young (aged between 18 and 26), or you fall outside the traditional older-male demographic that broadcast technologists tend to be, then Technorama has some funding that could help you get to TR18.

To apply: just fill in the form via the link at the bottom of this page, show that you meet the criteria, and tell us why you should be selected.  Be quick because applications close at 2359 on Sunday March 25.

What are we doing and why?

In any photo collection taken at a gathering of technologists, you’d be hard pressed to find participants who aren’t male and over forty.  This is not peculiar to Community Broadcasting;  it’s true of the broadcasting and tech industries globally.  We want to change what our photos look like!! We know there are both well established and budding technologists out there, who want to come to TR18 and aren’t male and over 40, and we want to meet you and work with you!!

The Technorama Committee is keenly aware that tech is not the glamour side of broadcasting, and that not enough is being done to encourage technologists, and would-be technologists, from outside the traditional cohort to engage and train in technology fields.

Shifting the demographic, and creation of both opportunity and a welcoming space within the technologist community are all important parts of Technorama’s diversity policy.

Introducing the Represent! Bursary

The Represent! Bursary Project is an initiative of Technorama in conjunction with the CBF, aimed at changing changing the traditional Older-Male-Technologist demographic of people who attend our events and/or who get involved at stations to support station technology.

Specifically, Technorama wants to to:

  • attract attention and attendance at Technorama events by people who are outside the traditional demographic
  • provide specific encouragement for young people to engage with technology
  • provide specific encouragement for women and gender non-conforming people to engage with technology
  • recognise existing commitment to technology in community broadcasting, by people who might be too young or not well known enough to attract direct financial support from their station.  This would allow attendance at TR18 by people who might otherwise not be funded to attend.
  • kickstart awareness of Technorama’s outreach projects

This is the first time that a project like this has been undertaken in our Sector, and we have consulted widely to establish appropriate selection criteria.

Represent! recipients will be chosen from applicants based on merit, using responses submitted in an online form.  A successful applicant will meet most or all of the following criteria:

  • be aged 18-26 (any gender) or be over 18 and be a woman or gender non-conforming person
  • be a volunteer or staff member at a licensed Community Broadcasting station in Australia
  • be a member of Technorama Incorporated (you can join up when you apply)
  • be able to demonstrate that they are on, or intend to be on, a technology track at their station.  For Represent! “technology” might include (but not be limited to):
    • RF, studio or IT development, maintenance and/or support
    • OB technology support
    • direct technology support including training, documentation, or coordination
    • provision of web services
    • audio engineering or recording
  • have some personal level of technical skill and interest
  • be able to attend the majority of of TR18 from 18-20 May 2018
  • be willing to make up shortfall in funding if full amount of travel can’t be covered with available funds
  • commit to provide a post-event deliverable (for example:  a report, webpage article, contribution to a TR event, a completed technology project, active participation in a Technorama forum, etc)

What does the Represent! Bursary offer?

We have a limited budget, and we would like to offer as many bursaries as possible.  For this reason, the offer will depend on the applicant’s home location, the extent to which the applicant meets all the criteria, and the quality of the applicant’s response.  Successful recipients will receive:

  • full entry to TR18, including the opening event and the Awards Dinner
  • one or two nights accommodation (including breakfast for one person)
  • a travel subsidy, the amount of which will be determined based on applicant’s location.

Preference will be given to applicants who meet the full set of criteria, and who can travel to participate in the full TR18 event.

Who makes the decision?

Your responses will be considered by the Technorama Represent! Bursary subcommittee, which has been selected from representatives of the Sector and members Technorama Committee members.

When will successful recipients be informed?

Applications close at 2359 Sunday 26 March.  We aim to announce recipients in the week beginning 2 April, to give you adequate time to arrange travel to TR18.  Technorama will arrange hotel rooms at the Vibe, and will provide you with a code to register for the event.

Unsuccessful applicants will still have time to register at the TR18 Earlybird member rate.

Does the Represent! Bursary include attendance at the Technorama Education Day?

Short answer:  no.  The Education Day is tightly associated with TR18, but it’s a separate event.

However some important and good news for Represent! Bursary applicants, because if you’re applying for a Bursary then we really want to encourage you to sign up for Technorama Education Day too.

This year’s Education Day is focused on electronic construction.

Recognising the importance of those skills to those outside the traditional demographic, six places are being held for Represent! Bursary recipients and will be allocated, on a first-come-first-served basis, through a separate registration process once Bursary recipients are announced.

When can I apply for a Represent! Bursary?

You can apply right now, and click here for the application form! 

Hey, if you’ve already registered for Technorama: no problem. You may still apply for a Represent! Bursary, and if you’re successful we will fix everything.