Following a week’s work experience at Sky Sports News, it’s given me that little bit of extra motivation I needed as I wait in earnest to get the ball rolling on my final year at University.

The week started whereby I got to Isleworth, Middlesex on Sunday where firstly I checked the correct security gate at Sky’s Headquarters I had to report to the following Monday morning. Initially, the sight of the whole Sky complex was quite overwhelming and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit nervous. Still, I had my accommodation for the week to check out first.

A short distance away (well in the car at least) was a Travelodge hotel, where I would be staying for the week. Located not far from Brentford’s main High Street my place of rest looked out onto a river adjacent to the road where there were a brigade of Houseboats, which was a little strange I have to say especially as the area was pretty urban.

The Travelodge itself, I suppose was nothing out of the ordinary but everything was nice and convenient. My room tinted with blue carpet and white walls gave me an en-suite shower room, a sort of comfortable double bed and a desk space where I could set-up my laptop to keep tabs on the world. Most importantly from my perspective, the open air wardrobe was handy for hanging up neatly the various selections of shirts and smart trousers I had bought with me.

There was just one problem. Even though, I spent the entire afternoon before I left for the big time ironing my clothes, my small holder had creased almost every item of clothing I was planning to wear that week. So, the solution, a travel iron from the help desk. Initially I deemed it an easy proposition...but how I was wrong. Ironing, without an ironing board I had to lay a towel flat down on the carpet along with the given shirt and attempt to figure out how to get the shirt in question, presentable. I must admit, I’ve never been the world’s best household chore operator and so this proved for most of the week.

Back on task, though, Monday morning came along and I made sure I was ready. With the Blackberry alarm (traditionally a lifesaver) making me squirm out of bed at 7:00 am I woke myself with a hot cup of tea, before undertaking a routine I kept the same throughout the week which didn’t leave too much to the imagination.

The first day I had to report for collection at Sky Sports at 10am. Leaving myself plenty of spare time and with a half hour or more walk to contend with I arrived exactly at 9:35am. The obligatory procedure of signing in with a visitor name badge was sorted upon my arrival and then the lovely Dawn from Sky came to greet me and took me soon after into the building of Sky Sports News.

In a way it was a strange feeling being somewhere which you have known about and watched on television for years, building up a certain visual perspective of how it might look in your mind. In a fairly typical office layout, we took the first stairs on the left where a picture of Sky Sports News flagship presenters Simon Thomas and Georgi Thompson reminded me, if I needed to remember, where I was. I was then given a whistle-stop tour of the studios, the different departments, the canteen, edit facilities and well just everything really.

Indeed, it was quite surreal just seeing people I became accustomed to seeing day in day out on television just walking past me and saying ‘Hi’ in the corridors.

On the Monday and Tuesday, I worked on the Production Team where I did some shot logging, editing and a lot of meeting and greeting. I was very fortunate to meet and have a chat with the vast proportion of the shows presenters and reporters throughout the week, and this inspired me even more to get to the position they are in one day. I kept a log of names of the people I’d spoke to so it was easier for me to remember the following days, but it made me realise there was massive scope for future employment at sky.

Among, an array of experienced staff, were recent journalism graduates, maybe only a year or two older than me and it was pleasing to know that Sky had offered them their first break in journalism at a relatively young age. Something that struck me early on however was the frenetic pace of the organisation.

With a 24-hour sports news service to run, the intensity and preparation needed was there for all to see. Sport journalism, on the whole is considered a bit of a luxury as the news comes to you, rather than out an out news which you have to dig out more for it to come to the fore.

During the work experience programme, on Tuesday I used my own initiative and went and spoke to one of the reporters I admire. As a result, he let me shadow him for the afternoon where he showed me the procedure of a presenter before they go on air e.g. dressing rooms, make-up, research etc. Next, he recorded his online podcast and then in one of the edit suites we edited it, before I was fortunate enough to get a lift home later on in the evening from now a useful contact.

During my evenings in Brentford I continued my running hobby frequently but I was aware I shouldn’t run too far as I was not familiar with the area. On Wednesday, after building some good relationships with a number of people I was moved to the planning department where they basically arrange everything in terms of interviews, details for reporters, club statements and deal with press officers.

Because Sky Sports News is such a huge organization, I suppose it would be fair to say work experience people sometimes all get tarred with the same brush as being just another student. From certain people, specifically, the Editor of the planning department this was evident, but I still tried and I’m pleased with the effort I put in and what I got out of the placement.

To summarize my time in the planning department, it was non-stop. With the phones ringing all the time, a 24-hour news service is a constant machine to feed. Some of my tasks included contacting a number of Championship Football Clubs and their press officers with a few questions, in addition to research and inputting information (entitled a ‘slug’) into a highly technical system which keeps the place running like clockwork.

On the final Friday at Sky Sports News I spent the day with one of the channels reporters. This was a fantastic experience, as we travelled to Chelsea’s training ground where we attended Manager Carlo Ancelotti’s press conference. Craig, the reporter I was with had first dibs of the questioning and it was quite a surreal experience sitting two feet away from a famous figure in football.

Although I was not allowed to ask any questions (believe me I was tempted) it was a great feeling to be amongst a glut of national media, and when one of my sport journalist heroes Martin Tyler popped up with a question a couples of rows behind it gave me a taste of where I want to be someday. Since the training ground was located in Cobham, it took a fair while to drive back where we then edited the piece ready to go into the six o’clock bulletin.

That evening, I also got to talking to another reporter and earlier in the day after being confirmed I was allowed to stay for Jeff Stelling’s Soccer Saturday on the Saturday, the reporter Gary promptly took me upstairs and introduced me to an idol. I couldn’t believe my eyes, there was Mr Stelling. After being introduced (I must admit I was fairly star struck) we had a five minute chat and he was probably one of the nicest persons I’ve ever met. I felt lucky to have been able to meet a true broadcasting legend.

The following morning I checked out of my hotel, not before treating myself to a delicious fry-up. But one down point was that I had to lug my holder and laptop on a half an hour or so walk, which was a struggle I can tell you. With no designated strap to fling over your shoulder, my bag proved an obstacle momentarily. Actually the next part is quite embarrassing.

After I signed in, I then walked into the Soccer Saturday office where all the members of staff were in, four ex-professional footballers and Mr Stelling and everyone probably thought is he coming for a holiday here or something! A couple of people had a bit of a joke about it but soon after I was a runner for the day, along with a couple of other new recruits making constant trips to Sky’s canteen, filling up boxes of sandwiches, fruit and soup!

All in all it was another great day where I found out about many things behind the scenes, met many famous faces and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The week as a whole, has given me a taste of the ‘big time’ and Sky Sports is somewhere I want to be in the future. But rest assured, I know there’s an awful long way to go as I know I haven’t done anything yet, leaving my feet firmly grounded in the process.