Meet Swarzy, 25, and discover what it's like to be a radio presenter. Part of our Bitesize world of work series.
My name is Swarzy. I'm twenty five years old and I'm a radio presenter at Kiss FM. Being a radio presenter means I'm linking all the songs that you get to hear on the radio. So when you hear things that the radio presenter is saying, it's usually about the song, about the artist, or something in the music industry that is so exciting that you, who is listening to the radio, need to know about.
I got given the Breakfast Show this year in January, so I'm usually in bed by about ten o' clock in the evening, then a cab will come for me around three o'clock in the morning and then I'm here in the studio prepping my music, prepping the artist I'm gonna talk about and then bang… six o'clock in the morning rolls round and I put that fader up and I'm on air. You will be surprised at the range of people who are awake at six o'clock in the morning, so you have to make sure as a radio presenter, you're hitting all the different audiences that you've got, and so for most people, they just want to hear the tunes. They want to have a good time when they listen on the radio and just wake up to something they can dance to.
When I got into radio, I'd never been in a radio studio. There's so much equipment that I get to use and some bits I'm still learning. I get to use the desk. The desk has loads of different faders, so when you hear a person come onto the radio, they put the fader up to make sure that the microphone works. And then you have to pull the fader down, so that the music can go out again. I get to use headphones. As long as I've got a good pair of headphones on my head, I know the show is gonna sound okay. When I was at school, I loved studying English literature and I also loved drama. I loved being on stage. I loved working with other people to make a play. We would learn about plot. We would learn about storytelling. All of the skills I learned in class now help me in the studio.
I wish when I was younger, someone had told me, "Swarz, do not compare yourself to other people, because there's so much freedom in just being yourself." And now I'm in a job that absolutely celebrates who I am, I celebrate the music that I enjoy and I've got people who enjoy that cos they listen to the show. What a difference that would have made when I was younger, and so to anyone watching this, do not compare yourself to other people and really believe in who you are.
Do not compare yourself to other people, because there is so much freedom in just being yourself. Believe in who you are.
Swarzy works for Kiss FM. She provides links for songs on her show and talks about the songs, artists, and music news. She works on the breakfast show, which starts at six o'clock in the morning
She didn't have training on the studio equipment before she started, so she is learning on the job to use equipment like faders to operate the microphone
At school she enjoyed English Literature and Drama and learnt about storytelling. These are all skills that have been useful in her job
Swarzy loves being in a job that celebrates music and allows her to express herself.
A similar job to a radio presenter is a DJ (disc jockey). DJs play music for audiences in live venues, at events or on the radio.
What to expect if you want to be DJ
- DJ average salary: Variable. You may be self-employed/freelance
- DJ typical working hours: 45 to 47 hours per week.
What qualifications do you need to be a DJ?
You could get into this role via a college course (such as a Level 2 certificate, a Level 3 Diploma or a T-level in Media, Broadcast and Production - England-only, from Sept 2023). You can also volunteer at community or hospital radio stations, or DJ at events like parties, weddings and charity shows. Alternative routes also include taking training courses or attending DJ workshops. You can also apply directly if you have relevant experience.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service, GOV.UK
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed and the GOV.UK website for more on T-levels.
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
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