Training

Computer with mouseIf you want to do well in the creative sector, you can't get lazy - which includes making sure your skills stay up to date.

With the world of entertainment constantly evolving, so too must your skills - which means making sure you stay focused on regular training. 

This can be anything from attending training courses and workshops (which could make you stand out nicely from other candidates on your CV) , learning on the job, self-taught learning, or really anything that improves your competence and confidence in your chosen skill. 

We've rounded up some of the best resources on the web to help you get to grips with the kinds of training on offer, plus check out the left-hand side of this page for additional links and advice specifically designed for film, TV and radio training, or theatre and live events training. 

On the left-hand side you will find additional pages with links and advice relating to film, TV and radio and theatre and live events.

How to get financial support for your course

Direct financial support is rare but there are ways to find discounts and subsidies. The Sector Skills Councils (CCSkills and Creative Skillset) will either provide or publicise subsidies for specific courses, many training providers offer a discount to BECTU members, the various Guilds (especially in film and TV) offer very good value courses. If you are freelance and working in film and TV then Creative Skillset might offer a bursary for your course.

Training courses for the entertainment industry - where to look for info

Want to know what kind of courses are out there, how much they cost and where they happen? Have a look at the below resources, which will frequently publicise and put on training events. 

Picking the right course

If you're worried about signing up on an expensive course, only to discover afterwards it was a waste of time, then you should check the details carefully. The golden word to look for is "accredited". If a course is accredited - aka, it results in, or contributes to a final qualification - then it should be well-designed, relevant and quality assured. 

If the courses are run by the Creative Skillset Academies or National Skills Academy partner colleges then the courses should be relevant and high standard. There is also a kitemarking 'pick the tick' project being run by Creative Skillset to identify good shorter courses.

Finally,  widely recognised and respected organisations and associations are usually a safe bet - examples being the BBC Academy and the Moving Image Training Alliance for film and TV training (and we would include BECTU too.)

Is your tutor qualified?

Check out the name of the trainer or facilitator - they should be a practising, or recently practising industry professional with real experience and knowledge that they can pass on to you. It's also important that your tutor or trainer is qualified, but that can be less easy to identify/ FE college lecturers and tutors are now required to be qualified so that is a good indication. Most reputable training organisations will ensure that their trainers are qualified to some extent - but it is worth checking it out.

Interested in Sound Engineering?

Check out Soulsound for insights, tutorials and opportunities.

"Through online content and live seminars we engage with engineers of all levels and give them a deeper understanding of their craft - improving employability and the general standard of audio in the world today."- Darryn de la Soul, head of Soulsound.

 

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