A member of Loyalist’s first Broadcast Engineering Technology (BRET) class, Brett Hancock graduated in 2011 with a three-year advanced diploma and accreditation as a Certified Broadcast Technologist.
As a Loyalist student, Brett completed field placements with Dome Productions in Toronto, where he made a positive impression working on mobile production units. The moment he graduated, Dome hired him as a Mobile Engineering Technician.
Brett’s day often starts with a flight to whichever city is hosting a televised event. As a lead engineer, he is responsible for the mobile production unit—a control room on wheels. Throughout the day, he deals with all things technical, inside and outside the mobile—configuring routers, audio consoles and video production switchers—ensuring that the show comes together from an engineering standpoint.
Broadcast Engineering Technology is not a career for the complacent. It is an ever-changing industry in which technicians need to continually grow and obtain new knowledge. “I’m well suited for this career path because I’m eager to learn new skills,” says Brett. “You need to be current with technology as it is introduced—I find that very exciting. I love the challenges that I am presented with. Being responsible for everything on the technical side of a national and international broadcast keeps me very interested in what I do. It’s rewarding to start something new each day, with new people, in a new city—and work toward the goal of bringing it to air.”
“The opportunities for advancement are vast,” adds Brett. “The broadcast engineering field is a small community. However, there are many sides to the industry and different paths you can take. You can work with cameras, audio equipment, create schematics, build circuits, IT, product development or radio frequency communications—the choice is yours.”
Looking back, Brett believes the program provided a launch pad to his career: “It taught me a vast range of skills that are crucial in the world of broadcast engineering. As a student, it was great to know that employers were waiting to hire the qualified individuals that the program produces.”
For more information about the Broadcast Engineering Technology program, please contact Professor Eric Heidendahl at eheidendahl@loyalistc.on.ca or call (613) 969-1913 ext. 2204 to arrange a campus tour.