The name’s Laurence Spencer…
Hello Phoenix listeners, my name is Laurence Spencer. You may know me as the ‘Work experience Guy’ who took over Michelle’s show for 30 minutes on Friday the 21st of July (more on that below). I was in the studio for the whole week, from Monday to Friday and had an amazing experience!
A bit about me:
I am 17 years old, currently a sixth former student studying A-Levels at the wonderful Coopers Coborn and Company School in Upminster. As a part of my school’s enrichment program (in preparation for University applications), I was required to have at least a week’s worth of work shadowing placements, so what better place to do work shadowing than at the lovely Phoenix 98fm!
I study Geography, Media Studies and Sociology at Sixth form. These are all subjects that I have a clear interest in (especially Media and Sociology) which go really well with each other and cross over occasionally. Media Studies is definitely something that I would definitely want to study post sixth form at University – you’d also have heard this if you’d tuned into Michelle’s show over my week at Phoenix. Recently, I obtained the role of Sociology Captain at school, which was a wonderful surprise as I didn’t think I’d get the position – definitely outside of my comfort zone.
In terms of hobbies, I looooove stargazing and astronomy. You’d have heard this on my takeover if you tuned in – love getting the telescope out on a clear night in my back garden and observing the stars. Alongside this, I regularly play video games with my friends, including games such as Minecraft and Valorant. I also love being active, going for runs every weekend (Park Run), as well as cycling often around my local neighbourhood.
The work experience ‘Experience’ at Phoenix 98FM.
The Work Experience part!
Work experience at Phoenix can only be defined as ‘amazing’. I think I’d be discrediting the lovely and welcoming daytime radio team if I said anything less.
– On Monday it was me asking many many questions to each of the broadcasters on the show off air. I wonder if their brains were fried! It got me more familiar with the station on a weekday (as I occasionally listen on a weekend) and let me form more of a connection with Michelle and Jo, the amazing 3 hour broadcasters in the morning and in the afternoon on Eat My Brunch and Drive. I call it the ‘day of guests’ as there were 3 guest speakers on that day.
– On Tuesday I got more involved on air, I introduced myself a lot more on Michelle’s show on air. And of course I had more questions after day one!
– Wednesday was the first day of reckoning for me, I had to co-interview an upcoming indie-rock band named Mint, shoutout to those guys! It was so good sitting in the studio with live music!
– Thursday was a day for me to prepare for Friday (a 30 minute takeover on Eat My Brunch), I really learned how to use the system, whether it be turning the mic up to speak after a song, drag a song in, play a jingle etc.
– Finally, the second day of reckoning (and the most stressful) had arrived. On Friday at 12:07, I was put on air after the news and had my ‘Half Wow-er’ takeover. What an experience! I was able to play my own songs that I really liked, and had a few discussions about relevant topics and my hobbies, with the occasional microphone problem at the start. 
Final Thanks and Goodbyes
I’d like to thank Paul and all the lovely broadcasters that I met at Phoenix for the amazing opportunity, and for any viewers out there looking for work experience/shadowing and wanting to go into Media and anything broadcasting related – doing work experience at Phoenix is a really cool opportunity!
You can listen to Laurence chatting with Michelle Ward here –
