NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 2022
The National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is a nationwide celebration that highlights the accomplishments and importance of apprenticeship programs that work to rebuild our economy, improve racial and gender equity, and assist underserved areas. NAW draws attention to how apprenticeship programs across the country serve as a vital talent pipeline that can help to address urgent workforce challenges, such as rebuilding our country's infrastructure and promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
At Wide Angle, apprentices and interns work to produce video and graphic design projects for 25+ community-based clients through our social enterprise, Wide Angle Productions. They are involved at all stages of project creation: pre-production (research, client meetings, ideation, client pitches, script writing/storyboarding, initial design campaign concept development, audience identification); production (prepping equipment, shoots on-set, working with actors, conducting interviews, running audio and lighting, designing in Adobe suite); and post-production (editing, audio, color grading, client feedback, and communications).
During National Apprenticeship Week we turned the spotlight to a few of our current Wide Angle apprentices. The time and dedication these young people have invested in themselves and their work is astonishing. Hear from them about their experience and their tips for aspiring apprentices.
Sydney Smith
Sydney Smith is a visual artist and aspiring Filmmaker born and raised in Baltimore. Her art has been recognized by Scholastic Art & Writing Awards while attending Carver Center for Arts and Technology for high school. After graduating from the Visual Arts Prime, she now attends Morgan State University, majoring in Screenwriting and Animation while minoring in Sociology. Her passion for advocating for social change began as she participated in community clean-ups and joined the campus as well as community organizations such as No Boundaries Youth Coalition. Her goal is to become a cinematographer and use her art to bring attention to social issues and injustices.
Tahir Juba
Tahir has been growing with Wide Angle Youth Media since 2013, obtaining skills and experience from both the Design Team and Mentoring Video Program. Tahir currently works full-time on the Wide Angle Productions team in pre-production, production, and post-production while attending the Screenwriting and Animation program at Morgan State University. Tahir specializes in Video Editing with a Professional Certification in Adobe Premiere Pro. His clientele includes a range of people and companies such as Under Armour and the Maryland State Arts Council. He has gained experience working with local artists directing, filming, and editing numerous music videos as a freelancer. Tahir has completed the state-official Arts2Work apprenticeship for Multimedia Production and is now a Journeyworker on a path to discovering his full potential.
Brandon Armstrong
Brandon Armstrong is a freelance Photographer and Videographer located here in Baltimore, MD. Brandon is currently a student at Morgan State University where he is majoring in Electrical Engineering.
D’Shaun Fortune
De’Shaun Fortune, born and raised in Baltimore, has been studying graphic design since age 12. Before Graduating from Baltimore Design School, De’Shaun studied graphic design for 7 years including participating in Wide Angle Youth Media's after-school Design Team. Now in College majoring in Art and Interactive Media, he is one of Wide Angle's first Design Apprentices with the goal of using the skills he has developed to promote unity and acceptance.
Tia Thomas
Tia Thomas is an aspiring actress and alumnus of the Baltimore School for the Arts. She is currently attending Towson University as an acting major. She hopes that the work she creates in theatre will impact people's lives along with inspiring them.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Chamia Winston is a student at Coppin State University majoring in Health Information Management, who also has an interest in social media management and digital marketing. Throughout her final year of high school and into her junior year at Coppin, she developed life plans, workforce readiness skills, and participated in design projects for clients such as the Baltimore Mediation Center and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Through her passion for bettering the community she hopes to inspire her community to create solutions to the problems they experience first hand.