Andrew Bonney

Having graduated in June 2010, I'm now part of a small team forming the 'North Lab' of the BBC's Research and Development department based on Oxford Road in Manchester. R&D is responsible for the early stage development of various technologies relevant not only to the BBC from a broadcast point of view, but also to consumers in the home. At present the department has a hand in shaping the development of the 'YouView' platform, aiming to bring live and on demand content (such as that found on the iPlayer) to televisions across the country. This however is just a tiny part of the work currently going on within R&D which includes research into 3D audio, synchronising IP and over the air content, and various projects which can't yet be discussed in public.

With the BBC about to move to MediaCity in Salford Quays, this is a really exciting time to be part of the organisation. R&D will be occupying a whole floor in one of the new buildings, and with so many new jobs being made available this is a great time to be getting into engineering in Manchester, whether it's looking for a permanent job, or just a placement as part of a university course.

My course helped to form a strong grounding in electronics and as is becoming increasingly important in computer programming which I'm currently doing on a daily basis. I chose to study at Manchester for the great reputation of the school in its field, but also for the city and all it has to offer, providing a great environment to unwind in after a long day or week in uni. Alongside the course, the societies available at Manchester and in particular the student radio station (Fuse FM) provided me with some invaluable experience without which I wouldn't be where I am now.

Visit www.bbc.co.uk/rd for more information