On a creative venue technician apprenticeship course, you’ll help provide technical support for the construction, rehearsal, presentation and removal of a live performance or event.
As a creative venue technician, you will be actively involved in the technical operation of various established creative venues, such as theatres, art centres, and broadcast studios.
You’ll learn to be multi-skilled in several technical areas while also gaining a broad knowledge foundation. You will learn lighting, audio, video, and building services, which you will use for your residence premises or production.
You will also learn stagecraft skills like carpentry, operating stage equipment, and performing scene changes. This will teach you how to set up, operate, maintain, and repair technical equipment used in creative environments for rehearsal and live performance presentations.
You’ll be able to use your talents to realise and react to the creative team’s vision development and the maintenance of your resident venue or touring production.
What you’ll learn
On a creative venue technician apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:
- Interact with colleagues and manage work groups effectively.
- Handle stakeholders with grace and respect, including freelance, touring, venue staff, performers, community organisations, and public members.
- Provide risk assessments and method descriptions to help with the safe planning and execution of work activities at the site.
- Develop and comprehend system needs such as floor plans, lighting plans, and design drawings.
- Generate textual data and reports; examples include cue sheets, post-performance evaluations, and handover notes.
- Assemble and configure structures and systems from component components to production requirements, such as scenic and rigging structures, lighting, sound, power, dimming, amplification, and control systems.
- Perform component and system fault-finding, such as lowering feedback in a live audio system.
- Deploy, operate, and maintain technical equipment such as lighting: Select appropriate luminaires and accessories, then test, rig, connect, and focus as planned.
- Carry out cueing and live operations, such as following a show plan with a followspot.
- Investigate, maintain, and monitor venue and production systems such as emergency lighting, relamping, first-line repairs, and rig-checking.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- Depending on the employer, likely GCSEs or equivalent qualifications for an advanced apprenticeship.
Assessment methods
The End Point Assessment comprises two distinct assessment methods:
- Practical Observation
- Professional Discussion
Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion
- Duration: 24 months
-
Level: 3 – Advanced Apprenticeship
- Relevant school subjects: Drama and DT
- Potential salary upon completion: £21,000 per annum
Apprenticeship standard
More information about the Level 3 Creative Venue Technician Apprenticeship standard can be found here.
Apprenticeship end point assessment
For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.