Sky has awarded five scholarships to the National Film and Television School (NFTS) thanks to support from the Royal Television Society.

The scholarships aim to help young people who may not otherwise have had the means to consider a career in the media, with a particular focus on supporting students from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Three of the scholars will join the NFTS's Broadcast Production course, which offers training in sound, lighting and camera operating, while a further two will join the Digital and Content Formats course, which trains students in interactive and new media skills.

Scholars Pav Janda, Oluwatoni Adepegba, Nosa Eke, Sri-Pazhani Balavivekananthan and Moses Fapohunda will commence their courses at the end of January.

Bella Vuillermoz, Director, Sky Academy said: "We can't wait to welcome the next generation of TV professionals to Sky Academy. By offering Sky Academy TV Scholarships, in partnership with NFTS, we're creating opportunities for these talented students to unlock their potential".

The scholars will receive free membership to the RTS, enabling them to attend events and training from industry experts.

Each scholar will also benefit from having a mentor at Sky, and will undertake a work placement lasting between six week and three months.

Theresa Wise, Chief Executive of the Royal Television Society said: "We are thrilled to be working with Sky on this initiative. Our industry is challenging for young people to enter, so we couldn't be more delighted that Sky are committed to helping young talent find a foothold."

The scholarships, which are also supported by BAFTA, are part of Sky Academy, which aims to give up to a million young people the opportunity to build skills, experience and self-belief through the power of television, creativity and sport.

The RTS will launch its Television Production and Broadcast Journalism Bursary and Technology Bursary next week. More information can be found here.