jobfacts

Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators

SOC 2020 3417

Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators operate and assist with still, cine and television cameras, operate other equipment and software to record, manipulate and project sound and vision for entertainment, cultural, commercial and industrial purposes, including digital and interactive media; and operate drones to provide aerial video and photographs.

Also calledAudio visual technicianAV technicianPhotographic technicianPhoto processing technicianDigital imaging technicianDirector of photographyand 85 more titles
Typical full-time pay£32,6002025 Provisional
People in the job81,000across the UK
Demand for workersCritical
New adverts a month1,000↓ 7.1%on last year · 186th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators earn, 2025
£32,600 typical£26,300lowest 20%n/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less than£26,300
25%£26,900
Median£32,600
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
More than half (58%) of photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators work for themselves. These pay figures only cover employees, so they may not reflect what self-employed photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators earn.
Typical pay by regionUK median £32,600
Yorkshire and The Humber!£39,900
South East!£32,500
North East!£31,500
Scotland!£30,700
Wales!£28,400
East of England!£27,200
North WestNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
West MidlandsNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £32,600
Yorkshire and The Humber£39,900 (small sample)
South East£32,500 (small sample)
North East£31,500 (small sample)
Scotland£30,700 (small sample)
Wales£28,400 (small sample)
East of England£27,200 (small sample)
North WestNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
West MidlandsNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £29,900
  • 2024 £29,700
  • 2025 Provisional£32,600
↑ 9.3% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 1,000 jobs for photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as critical.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20261,043
Jul 20261,074
Jun 20261,262
May 20261,033
Apr 2026994
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026976
Jan 20261,053
Dec 2025606
Nov 20251,020
Oct 20251,248
Sept 20251,108
Aug 2025981
Jul 20251,124
Jun 20251,390
May 20251,317
Apr 20251,208
Mar 20251,376
Feb 20251,127
Jan 20251,035
Dec 2024818
Nov 2024902
Oct 20241,060
Sept 20241,332
Aug 20241,002
Jul 20241,470
Jun 20241,332
May 20241,691
Apr 20241,578
Mar 20241,151
Feb 20241,366
Jan 20241,398
Dec 20231,158
Nov 20231,041
Oct 20231,121
Sept 20231,070
Aug 20231,349
Jul 20231,287
Jun 20231,715
May 20231,798
Apr 20231,508
Mar 20232,084
Feb 20231,673
Jan 20231,890
Dec 20221,465
Nov 20221,750
Oct 20221,978
Sept 20221,595
Aug 20221,847
Jul 20221,900
Jun 20221,984
May 20222,219
Apr 20221,448
Mar 20221,902
Feb 20221,551
Jan 20222,121
Dec 20211,565
Nov 20211,653
Oct 20211,865
Sept 20211,751
Aug 20211,547
Jul 20211,608
Jun 20211,366
May 20211,550
Apr 20211,615
Mar 20211,442
Feb 2021822
Jan 2021905
Dec 2020698
Nov 2020712
Oct 2020983
Sept 20201,462
Aug 2020817
Jul 20201,085
Jun 20201,017
May 20201,606
Apr 20201,332
Mar 20201,934
Feb 20202,889
Jan 20202,322
Dec 20191,717
Nov 20192,504
Oct 20192,181
Sept 20191,652
Aug 20191,680
Jul 20191,846
Jun 20191,767
May 20192,046
Apr 20191,268
Mar 20191,793
Feb 20191,283
Jan 20191,980
Dec 2018968
Nov 20181,387
Oct 20181,348
Sept 20181,374
Aug 20181,381
Jul 20181,497
Jun 20181,283
May 20181,385
Apr 20181,074
Mar 20181,509
Feb 20181,481
Jan 20181,170
Dec 2017741
Nov 20171,059
Oct 20171,037
Sept 20171,090
Aug 20171,097
Jul 2017897
Jun 20171,304
May 20171,553
Apr 20171,288
Mar 20171,459
Feb 20171,275
Jan 20171,518
Is there a shortage of photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators?
Critical

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was not high.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsAbove usual
  • Wage growthWell above usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Note: uncertain in multiple indicators: change in hourly wage, hours and earnings due to proportion of self employed workers.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
20%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for culture, media and sports occupations, which includes photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London821
Manchester113
Birmingham66
Leeds49
Glasgow City44
City of Edinburgh36
Bristol, City of36
Milton Keynes28
Nottingham27
Sheffield27
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 282 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from India, South Africa, United States, ranking it 57th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators
n/p
35%
23%!
19%!
10%!
5.5%!
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3435%
35–4423% (small sample)
45–5419% (small sample)
55–6410% (small sample)
65+5.5% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent54%
Higher education below degree!8.8%
A levels or equivalent21%
GCSEs or equivalent!11%
Other qualifications!2.5%
No qualifications!0.9%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent54%
Higher education below degree8.8% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent21%
GCSEs or equivalent11% (small sample)
Other qualifications2.5% (small sample)
No qualifications0.9% (small sample)

Main employers: photographic activities (37%), motion picture, video and television programme production activities (15%), television programming and broadcasting activities (3.6%), support activities to performing arts (3.4%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
54%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
8
from level 3
Apprenticeships take
1 to 2½ years
typically
T Levels
1
college courses for 16 to 19 year olds
Self-employed
58%
of people in the job

Routes in

Audio visual technician

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a course to get some of the skills and knowledge needed in this job. Courses include:

  • digital media
  • creative media production and technology
  • T Level in Media, Broadcast and Production

Once you've finished your course, you could apply for a trainee job at a theatre, college, production company or events organisation. Some employers might want you to have experience of helping with live or online events.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship, for example:

  • Creative Industries Production Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Scenic Automation Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Audio Visual Technician Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Broadcast and Media Systems Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start as an assistant technician and work your way up through training and promotion.

Experience and qualifications in broadcast engineering, sound technology or electronics may help when it comes to applying for jobs.

Volunteering

You could volunteer with a charity, community group or theatre. This could help you get experience of setting up and running audio visual equipment.

Registration and professional bodies

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Production Services Association (PSA) for training, professional recognition and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can get more information on audio visual careers from ScreenSkills.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for audio visual technician. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Photographic technician

You can get into this job through:

University

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

  • photography
  • art and design
  • photography, video and digital imaging
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You could do a college course to learn some of the skills you need in this job. Courses include:

  • photography
  • art and design - photography option
  • creative digital media
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Photographer Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship to get into this role.

This apprenticeship takes between 1 and 2 years to complete, and is a mix of training in the workplace and off-the-job study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Apply directly

You could apply directly to companies to work as a photographic technician. You'll need to be well organised, able to use image editing software and have a keen interest in photography.

Some employers may prefer you to have GCSEs, A levels or equivalent qualifications in a subject like photography, desktop publishing or art and design.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

You could contact photo labs, professional photographers, picture libraries, museums and educational institutions for potential job opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in photography from The Association of Photographers.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for photographic technician. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Director of photography

You can get into this job through:

University

You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma, degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject.

Examples include:

  • photography
  • art and design
  • drama
  • filmmaking or film studies
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • a foundation diploma in art and design
  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You can take a college course to develop your camera skills before looking for work, as an assistant.

Courses include:

  • film and television production
  • photography
  • creative media production and technology
  • T Level in Media, Broadcast and Production

You may have an advantage if you can find a course that offers practical experience and possibly a work placement.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start work with a production company in a junior role and learn on the job. Roles include:

  • production runner
  • second assistant camera (2nd AC) operator
  • lighting trainee

Once you have built up your experience on set and completed extra training, you could become a first AC then director of photography.

Volunteering

It will help when looking for work, if you can get paid or unpaid experience with:

  • community film productions
  • amateur or student film projects
  • independent film production companies or camera equipment suppliers

You can search for film and TV companies to approach for experience through media business listing services like PACT and The Knowledge.

Look out for film festivals and follow the social media accounts of video companies and film-makers, for advice and possible work experience opportunities.

Other routes

You may be able to get a place on a new entrant training scheme that broadcasters and film bodies offer, for example:

  • BBC trainee schemes
  • Channel 4 training scheme
  • ITV Careers
  • British Film Institute (BFI)

You could also take short courses in camera operation run by film schools, regional screen agencies and private training providers.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Work is often freelance and filming can involve long hours. You'll usually be paid a day rate plus extra for overtime and unsocial hours.

It's important to make contacts in the industry, while learning about different filming techniques. You can also put together a portfolio of your work to showcase your talents through online media channels.

You may improve your career prospects by developing specialist filming skills, such as aerial, night-time or underwater photography.

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the British Society of Cinematographers for latest news and trends, professional development and to make contacts in the industry.

Further information

You can learn more about a career as a director of photography from ScreenSkills.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for director of photography. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Photographer

You can get into this job through:

University

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

  • photography
  • visual arts
  • commercial photography
  • art and design
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You could take a college course in photography. This might help you to find a job as a photographer's assistant in a studio.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship to get into this role, for example, a Photographer Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship takes around 1 year and 6 months to complete, and is a mix of training in the workplace and off-the-job study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Work your way up

You could start as a photographer's assistant and work your way up. It's normal to specialise in one kind of photography, like fashion, advertising, wildlife or photojournalism.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

You'll need a portfolio of your work to show your skills, interests and experience in photography. It will also help you to get noticed if you post examples of your work online.

Professional and industry bodies

The Association of Photographers offers membership for anyone with an interest in professional photography.

You can also apply to join the British Institute of Professional Photography.

Further information

You can get more details about a career in photography from The Association of Photographers.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for photographer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

TV or film sound technician

You can get into this job through:

University

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

  • sound engineering
  • music technology
  • media technology
  • electrical or electronic engineering
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You could take a college course to develop your knowledge and skills before looking for a position as a sound trainee.

Courses include:

  • music technology
  • sound engineering
  • creative digital media production
  • T Level in Media, Broadcast and Production
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You could start training in this job by applying for an apprenticeship that covers sound engineering skills.

Apprenticeships include:

  • Creative Industries Production Technician Level 3
  • Broadcast and Media Systems Technical Operator Level 3
  • Audio Visual Technician Level 5
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

It's possible to start out as an assistant roadie, loading and unloading sound equipment, and helping to set it up. This would allow you to learn some of the skills you need from experienced sound technicians.

Volunteering

You could look for work experience placements with larger broadcasters like the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

You could also get experience by:

  • working on student or community film or radio projects
  • setting up or 'rigging' sound equipment for amateur theatre, local bands and smaller festivals
  • helping out in a recording studio

These are good ways to make contacts, learn new skills and to hear about job opportunities.

Apply directly

You could apply directly for jobs but employers will expect you to have a lot of knowledge and experience in sound technology and equipment, and the science of sound.

Other routes

You could complete a training course with a specialist course provider.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

As a trainee, it's important to be well organised and and have good time management skills to be on set or location when required.

You'll also need to be adaptable, able to deal with background sound distractions and be willing to ask questions in order to learn quickly.

Further information

You can get more advice about careers and training for TV and film from:

  • ScreenSkills
  • BBC
  • Into Film

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for tv or film sound technician. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

8 for this job
Level 5About 2 years

Audiovisual technician

Leads to
AVIXA accredited Certified Technology Specialist (CTS)
Details on Skills England
Level 3About 2 years

Creative industries production technician

Employers may ask for
For the screen lighting technician option, it is desirable that apprentices have either a pre-existing level 2 or above qualification - the most common that…
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Other qualifications

QualificationTypeLevel
Media, broadcast and productionT Level3
Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE) Game DevelopmentHigher technical4
Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Photography for EnglandHigher technical4
Fd Audio and Music ProductionHigher technical5
FD Film and Screen MediaHigher technical5
FdA Film, TV and Media productionHigher technical5
FdA Live Performance Technical ProductionHigher technical5
Foundation Degree Film and Media ProductionHigher technical5
Foundation Degree in Audiovisual TechnologyHigher technical5

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • selects subject and conceives composition of picture or discusses composition with colleagues
  • arranges subject, lighting, camera equipment and any microphones
  • inserts lenses and adjusts aperture and speed settings as necessary
  • operates scanning equipment to transfer image to computer and manipulates image to achieve the desired effect
  • photographs subject or follows action by moving camera
  • takes, records and manipulates digital images and digital video footage
  • controls transmission, broadcasting and satellite systems for television and radio programmes, identifies and solves related technical problems
  • checks operation and positioning of projectors, vision and sound recording equipment, and mixing and dubbing equipment
  • operates equipment to record, edit and play back films and television programmes
  • manages health and safety issues
  • operates sound mixing and dubbing equipment to obtain desired mix, level and balance of sound
  • maintains, repairs, programs and operates unmanned aircraft to provide aerial photographs and video

Skills

  • calibrate electronic instruments
  • coordinate activities in audio recording studio
  • maintain audiovisual equipment
  • maintain electrical equipment
  • maintain electronic equipment
  • manage sound quality
  • operate audio equipment
  • use audio reproduction software
  • edit recorded sound
  • operate remote broadcast equipment
  • set up audiovisual peripheral equipment
  • set up sound equipment
  • adapt to type of media
  • apply health and safety standards

Knowledge

  • audiovisual equipment
  • audiovisual products
  • broadcast equipment
  • electronics principles
  • media formats
  • multimedia systems
  • acoustics
  • audio editing software

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for culture, media and sports occupations, a group of 13 jobs that includes photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 10%about 79,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 2035442,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.