Students from one of Solihull College & University Centre and Stratford-upon-Avon College’s Bootcamp programmes have been offered apprenticeships at a prestigious venue following the completion of their training.
Laura Gilbert and Tegan Payne took part in the Creative Venue Technician Bootcamp earlier this year and are now celebrating an offer from one of the UK’s premier presenting theatres, the Birmingham Hippodrome.
The creative bootcamp programmes are run in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), with funding from the Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund.?They are designed for adult learners and focus on upskilling and reskilling for those wanting to progress or begin a career in the creative industries. They allow participants the chance to learn from industry professionals and partake in hands-on learning experiences on industrial placements.
Laura and Tegan’s success show how successful the Bootcamps can be at growing new talent and developing a motivated, talented and qualified workforce.
Laura’s journey is a prime example of the progression that can be had. After finishing education, she began working full time in retail. But she always had a creative drive and passion for live events: “I’ve always loved live events and I’m a creative person and I realised that I could combine my love of performance and being creative into a technical career.”
But Laura then had to find a way to transition from a career in retail to one as a technician: “I never knew how to get into it, but then I saw the Creative Venue Technician Bootcamp and it was the perfect opportunity at the perfect time!”
Laura enjoyed the bootcamp experience immensely. Her favourite part: “I would say meeting like-minded people. We all came from different jobs and backgrounds, but it was nice to meet people who have the same passions and drives. Plus seeing behind the scenes of theatres was insightful; there were so many venues and even though they do the same job they all do things slightly differently.”
The Bootcamp prepared her by developing her technical skills in a range of areas such as lighting, stage management, set and costume design and more, as well as the chance to network with training and working industry professionals.
It was networking with these professionals that led her to know about the apprenticeship opportunity at Birmingham Hippodrome. She is delighted to be accepting the position as a Creative Industries Production Technician Apprentice: “It’s amazing, like a dream come true! This time last year I never thought I would have gotten this, so to have happening now is just a dream and I’m excited to see where it leads. The Bootcamp set me up really well for this.”
Fellow bootcamper Tegan also benefitted massively from the Bootcamp experience. Beginning her journey with a Foundation course in Art & Design at college, she knew she had a creative drive, but was never sure where to focus it and what career to follow.
Living in Stratford-upon-Avon, she spent time working on local tourist attractions on the river plus worked as a waitress at the Royal Shakespeare Company. During this time, she began to apply for apprenticeships in creative areas linked to theatre: Costume, Wigs, Scenic and Props, but was unsuccessful with her applications. Then she discovered the Creative Venue Technician Bootcamp, which for her, offered the chance to learn new skills and utilise her creativity in an environment she was interested in.
Her favourite aspects of the Bootcamp were working at a huge range of venues and meeting industry professionals: “One of my particular favourite days was going to The Halls Wolverhampton and setting up for a live music event. A band was brought from Stratford-upon-Avon College and we had to light the gig and manage the sound. I have always loved live music and never had considered being able to work in that environment!”
Tegan had felt that the technical theatre world was inaccessible: “I always thought I was creative minded, but not tech minded and had no idea how to even go about learning about all this stuff, especially as a girl it seemed like a whole other world I wasn’t able to access. But this bootcamp has developed my confidence, given me the chance to develop technical skills, get advice on my CV, network, and prepared me for the professional world and how to navigate it. Overall, it made me realise I can do it! I am ecstatic getting accepted on the apprenticeship at Birmingham Hippodrome.”
Bootcamp Manager, Sophie Jolly, is delighted that Laura and Tegan’s experience has led to such success: “The Bootcamp programmes are designed to provide hands on technical experience whilst also giving participants an opportunity to learn from and network with industry professionals. We work with employers to ensure that the Bootcamps are tailored to suit employer needs and to see the participants being offered these next steps and fill the skills gap is incredibly exciting and demonstrates how the Bootcamps can be used to upskill/reskill adults for the industry.”
Technical Manager from the Birmingham Hippodrome, Ian Wallace, is so pleased to be welcoming Laura and Tegan to the team: “We are very excited to be taking on more apprentices, it’s always good to give opportunities to people with fresh, new ideas and a love of the arts. The Hippodrome has always been passionate about giving opportunities to new talent and supporting them in getting their foot in the door.”
