Loughborough College is a medium-sized Further Education College based in the heart of the East Midlands. Though it boasts a rapidly growing music section and a reputation for business development, it has no on-site theatre or stage facilities, no full-time technical theatre staff and certainly no history of working in the arts or theatre sector. Yet, with the help of the Arts and Entertainment Technical Training Initiative (AETTI), writes Chris Garner, Loughborough College now offers significant technical training for theatre technicians.
Though the theatre industry has been well served with full-time level 3 and 4 courses from both the FE and university sectors, the provision of in-service technical training has, for many years, been largely limited to non-accredited training by equipment manufacturers and a small number of training providers. The AETTI was founded in 1987 to improve the skill levels of theatre technicians. Its name reflects a concern among many that stage technical skills were not valued highly enough, resulting in poor work and probably compromising safety as well.
Over time, it became clear that what the theatre industry really needed was high-quality training programmes that were accredited by a recognised awarding body, short enough to facilitate training without taking the learner out of work for too long and delivered locally at venues throughout the country.
In 1999 Loughborough College and the AETTI participated in an EU-funded project to develop a range of BTEC Award qualifications for stage staff. Following a huge effort this was completed on schedule and a pilot course was successfully run in the summer of 2000. The project produced a total of six courses, ranging from theatre flying to wardrobe maintenance, each of three days’ duration, and all at the intermediate award level.
The courses are aimed at those working as technicians in the technical theatre industry who wish to gain a formal qualification. The General Theatre Technician Course, for example, offers a useful introduction for those who may wish to move on to take a further qualification and prove their competence in specialist areas such as Lighting, Flying and Wardrobe. It also provides employers and freelancers with the opportunity to fulfil obligations under the Health & Safety at Work Act.
These courses offer the opportunity to benefit from the vast experience of industry-based tutors and access to relevant industry-specific technical equipment. Successful completion results in a nationally recognised qualification, from the awarding body Edexcel, which provides recognition of competence.
To date, a total of 19 courses have been delivered to over 200 learners in 15 different venues. Most of these courses are offered in working theatres, others have been offered in training venues such as the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. In the main, places on the courses are paid for by employers, with a small number of learners sponsoring themselves. Learner feedback indicates that the balance of price, location, duration and content are going a long way to meeting the needs of the theatre industry.
Good training programmes do not stand still. Development is on-going and we are currently resubmitting our programmes to BTEC as part of their re-accreditation requirements to the customised short-course framework. Learner and employer comments about the programmes have been fully considered and necessary changes are being included to further enhance the quality of the training and assessment processes.
We are also working with European partners from France, Italy and Malta to develop level 3 distance-learning programmes in Light and Sound. The aim is to agree stage technical competencies, which can be largely delivered and assessed online for technical staff in each country. These programmes are now well underway and are currently being piloted in all partner states.
Chris Garner is Head of Enterprise and Workforce Development at Loughborough College. t: 01509 618377; e: garnerc@loucoll.ac.uk