Not only did my four days in Edinburgh provide a quick-fire introduction to a competitive, creative industry but a network of peers (for life) the same level as me.

While up there I met some great people. My own generation of TV people. Some of them have become good friends of mine. We’re all at the same point in their careers, and taking different paths upwards.

At the scheme, alongside all the other amazing workshops, I attended the drama workshop with the cast and crew of Holby City. And here I met Oliver Kent (Head of Continuing Drama, BBC) who suggested that we meet for a coffee when he was next in Cardiff.

Spending four days at the Edinburgh TV Festival was the most intense and one of the best experiences I have ever had. It felt like a crash course in how to know to navigate the TV industry.

So, does The Network work? Absolutely. They didn’t just help me get my foot on the ladder, they gave me the tools and confidence to make the most of the opportunity. No matter who you are, they will lift you up. I cannot recommend the experience enough.

The best thing that The Network did for me was to provide an opportunity to prove how much I love TV and how valuable I could be to a crew.

All in all the Network is an amazing experience which puts the power in your hands and lets you learn how the industry really works. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it hadn’t been for this scheme.

This time last year, I had an ambition without any direction, whereas now I have the beginnings of a career, as well as some lifelong connections and friends – that, to me is pretty priceless.

The Network has made my career possible. The young lad from the Yorkshire Dales screaming and shouting to just get his foot in the door with no degree, now had opportunities galore in all different directions.

We were working with the team behind River City and were tasked with writing a scene for the stars of the show to perform in a showcase at the end of the fest. Hearing the storyline and dialogue the team and I had crafted in front of an audience was nerve wracking but also, really...