Building Skills with Wates – A Trainee's Exciting Journey in Construction

SAZ MEDIA’s Camera Trainee, Jake Cunningham at the site.

At SAZ MEDIA, we are committed to providing our trainees and apprentices with opportunities to gain practical experience and develop their skills. We believe that investing in our people is essential to building a strong and successful team.

Our 22-year-old Camera Trainee, Jake Cunningham had a fantastic experience working with Wates, and we are thrilled to hear about the skills and knowledge he gained. We are always excited to hear what our team members have to say about their experiences, and we encourage them to share their insights with us.

Please continue to read on and discover more about our Camera Trainee Jake’s first-hand account of his experience working alongside industry professionals in the construction sector in his own words:

As a Camera Trainee working for SAZ MEDIA, I had the opportunity to join a team from Wates on site visits to three construction sites in the North East. It was an exciting experience, and I learned a lot about photography, teamwork, and adapting to new environments.

On Monday 3rd April, I travelled from Manchester to Sunderland to meet Sara our Executive Director and Phil our Video Producer to work alongside the Wates team. Our first stop was at the new Gigafactory being built in the area. My task was to capture photographs of the build and the tour taking place around it. This was my first time working on a job of this scale, and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

During the visit, I learned how to capture photos on the move, at a fast pace, and in a constantly changing environment. I had to be adaptable, creative, and focused to get the best shots possible. It was fun and exciting. I felt like I was learning a lot with every photo I took.

During my time in Sunderland with Wates, I had the opportunity to visit their Prism pop-up facility. As a photographer, I was tasked with capturing images of the facility and the work being done there. This experience proved to be invaluable as I not only enhanced my photography skills, but I was also left in awe of the sheer size and impressive work being carried out. The visit made a lasting impression on me, and I left feeling inspired and enriched. Overall, my time at the Prism pop-up facility was an incredible experience that has broadened my skills and allowed me to capture the beauty of the construction industry in a whole new way.

Our third stop was at a new build at Teesside University, Middlesbrough. Once again, I was tasked with capturing photographs of a tour taking place. This time, I also had the opportunity to observe Sara and Phil at work and learn from their experience. I learned about the different types of things to look for, the best angles to take photos from, and how to use natural lighting to my advantage. It was a valuable lesson, and I felt more confident in my abilities after watching them work.​

Throughout my visit, I was impressed by the professionalism and friendliness of everyone I worked with. They made the work enjoyable and created a positive environment for learning. I appreciated their patience and willingness to share their expertise with me.

Overall, the experience was invaluable, and I feel more confident and skilled as a result. I am eager to continue improving and producing the best results possible. I am grateful for the opportunity I got to work with Wates and gain hands-on experience in the construction industry. I am looking forward to the next job and the chance to further develop my skills.

- Jake Cunningham (Camera Trainee at SAZ MEDIA)

At SAZ MEDIA, we understand that hands-on experience is crucial to building confidence and expertise, which is why we make every effort to provide our trainees and apprentices with opportunities to work on real projects. We believe that this approach benefits both our people and the company, as it creates a culture of learning and growth.

Working with Wates was an excellent opportunity for our Camera Trainee, Jake Cunningham to gain valuable skills and knowledge from industry professionals in a positive and supportive environment.

We are proud to have such a dedicated and talented team of trainees and apprentices at SAZ MEDIA, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue to develop their skills and pursue their careers in the Film and Photography industry.

Julie Payne from Wates (Business Partner - Major Projects) also had some positive feedback to share about our Camera Trainee, Jake Cunningham’s experience with Wates:


“At the beginning of April, I appointed the SAZ MEDIA team to visit the North East to promote key sites in the region as part of a Construction Group Board site visit – I was keen to capture the sheer scale and ingenuity of these sites as well as generating photo and video content to be used in different scenarios – the team did not disappoint – Jake was especially keen to get stuck in and really push the boundaries of his photography experience and was a real joy and pleasure to work with. I look forward to working with Jake and the SAZ MEDIA team in the very near future.”


Thank you for reading today's blog. We appreciate your readership and hope you found it insightful. To stay up-to-date on the latest news and insights, don't forget to sign up to our newsletter.

If you have any questions or queries, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team. Contact us and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

SAZ MEDIA