Special Edition

Training will be delivered through one full-day training session per month over a period of six months. We work with leading trainers and respected industry professionals who have collaborated with TRC over several years and receive consistently excellent feedback from our delegates. Session topics for 2019/20 are yet to be tied down but will include highly rated training sessions from previous Special Edition programmes. Below are some examples of the training sessions to expect, along with feedback from previous delegates. 

• Personal Branding and goal setting: Assess yourself as a brand, develop goals for the future and commit to a definitive plan of action
  “I can only describe my experience on the day as a complete and utter epiphany. I can confidently say, after only one day, that this course is going to be life-changing for me.”
• Work-Life Balance: Strategies for achieving a successful work/life balance.
  “I learned things about myself I will use to bring my life into balance and hopefully be a more effective, happier person in my work and home life.”
• Dealing with difficult conversations:  Advice and useful tips mixed with practical exercises to hone and perfect your communication skills for a range of challenging scenarios. 
  “I will use the techniques I learned with immediate effect. I’m dealing with a difficult relationship in the workplace, and I now have a clear strategy to engage in the challenging conversations which need to happen for any improvements to happen.”
• Networking and pitching with confidence: A practical session that will take you out of your comfort zone in order to achieve real results in presenting with confidence.                                                                 “I’ve always been a bit nervous about introducing myself to strangers, but when you are developing a business it’s such an important skill to have. The session will directly impact how I get my business out there and make contacts, meet clients and pitch myself”. 
• Creative Problem Solving: Using a powerful and persuasive shared questioning approach, the group will work  to achieve the life and career goals identified in earlier sessions.
  “[The trainer] very skillfully took us through a process that changed my whole perception of listening, communication and responding to people. After the training day I felt truly empowered to take my career forward in ways I hadn't previously thought possible.”
• Leadership: Identifying the kind of leader you are, and how best to use your skills for leading a successful team. "The session completely demystified the concept of a leader. It equipped me with a hugely practical set of leadership skills and toolsets which will allow me to lead a team with confidence." 

Special Edition is open to women working in commercial businesses in the digital sector in Scotland. For guidance, this includes but is not limited to: digital agencies, software development, games, animation, mobile apps, augmented/virtual reality and technology.

We welcome applications from ambitious female candidates* who will use this exceptional opportunity to progress their professional careers. Applicants should have:

• Evidence of experience within their field
• Experience in management: leading teams or projects
• Aspirations to reach Director/Board level or to run their own business
• Clearly articulated reasons for wanting to invest in their professional development
• A current passport valid for European travel to end of March 2020

*Special Edition is open to all women (trans, intersex and cis) and all nonbinary, agender and gender variant people. Self-definition is at the sole discretion of that individual.

The Special Edition 2019/20 dates

Wednesday 4^th September 2019: Inspire/ Empower Me

Thursday 3rd October 2019: Difficult Conversations/pitching  

Thursday 7^th November 2019: Work/Life balance

Thursday 5^th December 2019: Action Learning Sets

Wednesday 15^th January 2020: Leadership

Business trip: Location and February dates TBC

Who are TRC?

For over 20 years, TRC has delivered high-end training for individuals and businesses working in the broadcast and digital sectors. Through TRC training, careers have been transformed, new start-ups established, international business secured, skill shortages tackled, business strategies re-framed and invaluable networks formed. TRC’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading training providers has allowed them to provide unrivalled access to the world’s most innovative companies including tech leaders in San Francisco and broadcasters from London to New York and Los Angeles. 
Find out more about TRC.

What is Special Edition?

Special Edition is a professional development programme for ambitious women working in Scotland’s digital and tech industries who are committed to furthering their careers within the sector. Running over a period of six months, Special Edition arms ambitious and talented women with the knowledge, skills and network to realise their full potential.

Special Edition was devised in direct response to the gender imbalance in Scotland’s digital sector. Statistics consistently show that women are under-represented at board level and senior positions within Scottish businesses. In Scotland’s Digital Technology sector, women make up only 18% of the workforce, which is considerably lower than other skilled occupations (39%) and the country’s workforce as a whole (48%) (source). The figures are more skewed when we look to positions of power: 100% of CEOs of Scotland’s 50 ‘top companies’ (as identified by Scottish Business Insider) are men (source). We believe that gender equality in the boardroom is paramount to the wider diversity of Scotland’s digital sector and so the overall ambition of this programme is to set our female delegates on a career trajectory that ultimately leads to the boardroom. Special Edition has been running since 2013 and has seen alumni go on to successfully start their own businesses and secure significant job promotions, salary increases and board positions.

How much does the programme cost?

Special Edition is heavily subsidised by our programme funders: Scottish Enterprise, BBC Nations and Regions, Channel 4 and Screen Scotland. The delegate fee is £395. 

Due to the public sector investment in this project, we are obliged to let you know that under EC Commission Regulations* your participation in Special Edition is de minimis aid amounting to £2,768 There is a ceiling of €200,000 for all de minimis aid provided to any one company over a 3 year period.  The support will be relevant if your company wishes to apply, or has applied, for any other public sector support i.e. de minimis aid.

Can I apply if I work for a charity?

No. Applications are only open to those working within commercial businesses.

Should I apply if I have already applied previously?

Yes! Special Edition is a competitive application process, and there could be many reasons why the course wasn't right for you the first time around. We welcome and encourage applications from women who have previously applied for the course. 

What are you looking for in applications?

We recommend that you take your time with your application and really consider how this programme will benefit you and your career. You should outline your goals and ambitions, and also identify areas for improvement/barriers/personal challenges that the course could help you with. Be as honest as possible in your application and don't worry about presenting yourself as the 'finished package.' 

How long is the programme?

Special Edition lasts six months – beginning in September 2019 and wrapping in February 2020. To take part in the programme it is imperative that you commit to full participation, which means attendance for all of the full-day training sessions (dates above) and for the duration of the trip.

Where will we travel with the business trip?

Previous Special Edition delegates have travelled to London, Berlin and Amsterdam to meet with inspirational leaders and entrepreneurs doing exciting things in the world of digital, from global names to innovative start-ups. The destination of this year’s programme is to be announced – keep your eyes peeled! You can read about last year's trip over on our blog.

What is covered in the trip?

TRC will cover the cost of flights and hotels during the field trip as well as travel between meetings on the itinerary. You are required to have adequate travel insurance and hold a current and valid passport for the field trip. If for any reason you cancel your participation on the trip, you are liable for the cost of travel (plane/train) and accommodation. You are required to cover your own expenses which will include travel to/from airport/train station and for meals/drinks/expenses on the trip.

Where does the training take place?

All training will take place in Glasgow City Centre, usually at TRC’s offices in Clockwise, 77 Renfrew Street Glasgow.

What if I have more questions?

No problem. Get in touch with the programme project manager Caroline McGonigle on 0141 223 8820, or via email at caroline.mcgonigle@trcmedia.org.