Technical Apprentice
Role Title: Technical Apprentice (12-Month FTC)
Salary: £11,648 (35hrs per week)
Closing Date: W/c July 10th Interview Date: W/c August 12th
Starting date: 30th September 2024 (for Induction Week)
Please note that applications via Indeed will not be accepted.
To apply for this role, please complete the form linked HERE.
About WMC/Our Department:
As one of the UK’s most iconic and celebrated arts venues, part of our success story is down to our commitment to giving people the opportunity to develop and thrive.
We do this by supporting emerging Welsh talent with life-changing learning experiences, practical workshops, and technical apprenticeships. We have apprentices based here at the centre, but also at partner organisations across Wales, these currently include the Welsh National Opera, Theatr Clywd, Arad Goch, Galeri/Bara Caws, ICC Wales, Theatrau Sir Gar, Venue Cymru and Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Our current apprentices have recently completed placements on visiting touring productions like Disney’s Aladdin, Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands, and The Wizard of Oz to name a few. They have also supported several self-produced shows such as Branwen: Dadeni, The First XXXMas: A Very Naughty-tivity and Nye, a National Theatre collaboration.
For more about the apprentice scheme visit – https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/what-we-do/careers-and-jobs/technical-apprenticeships.
About the Role and Responsibilities:
Backstage theatre technicians play a vital role in delivering live performances, ensuring each production is produced to the highest possible standard. The primary purpose of this role is to develop specialised and transferable skills in areas specific to stage craft, lighting, and sound for live entertainment for those at the start of their technical careers.
On a day-to-day basis you will be reporting to the Technical Stage Manager or Chief Electrician, who will integrate you into the wider technical department placing you on a number of projects for you to discover and practice your niche. You will also report to the Apprentice & Training Coordinator, who oversees the apprentice programme to ensure that individuals hit their practical and assessment targets – created with their tutor from Cardiff & Vale College. The coordinator is also responsible for your professional training schedule which will include trips away from base.
Over the 12-months, you will have completed the ABTT Bronze Award along with a PAT Testing & CRISP IOSH qualification and will undertake a rigging, lighting and sound professional workshop. You may also attend a trade show in the Spring/Summer. Though subject to training schedules, successful applicants should expect to work on touring productions like Hamilton, & Juliet and Wicked. They could also expect to work on our excitingly new project Pontypool, based on the on the radio by Tony Burgees that inspired the cult horror film, along with several large-scale productions with the Welsh National Opera.
Key Requirements:
Applicants will need to be available for Induction Week on the W/C September 30th.
The working hours of an apprentice slightly vary from week-to-week, it really depends on the demands of the production they are working on. We must highlight that this is not a 9-5 role, therefore we encourage applicants to really think hard about whether this type of work is suitable for them should this be of conflict. We also encourage you to think about your travelling arrangements and whether it is feasible/viable for you at this point.
The criteria in which you will be evaluated on is relatively fluid. However, we do expect you to provide evidence of your understanding of backstage technical theatre and what areas specifically is of interest to you and why. You will need to show that you are able to learn or display good interpersonal and communication skills, as you will be working within a large organisation with people from differing backgrounds, viewpoints, and identities.
Finally, you ought to display evidence of a good attitude and willingness towards professional working, learning new skills, and progression of coursework.
| # | Criteria | Essential/Desirable – please state |
| 1 | An understanding of Technical Theatre and a proven interest in working backstage. | E |
| 2 | A strong awareness and understanding of Health & Safety – either generally or specifically to theatre. | E |
| 3 | Showing good interpersonal and team-working skills whilst working within a large organisation with individuals from differing backgrounds, views and identities. | E |
| 4 | Being accountable when managing your working week to complete modules to obtain your qualification. | E |
| 5 | Proof of working to deadlines in both a practical and theoretical sense. | E |
| 6 | Ability and willingness to undertake academic learning and operating online portfolio’s when gathering and uploading evidence for assessments. | E |
Do you share our values?
Our values are part of who we are, what we stand for and how we act. Do you share these values?
Reflective – We recognise and celebrate that great things are achieved every day and we consider it a strength to learn from our experiences.
Accountable – In a culture that enables us to achieve our potential, we must be responsible for our own actions and for the actions of the Centre.
Collaborative – We are one team working together, respecting each other’s skills and experiences to ensure the best results.
Ambitious – We support passion and encourage bold decision making to drive our desire to continually improve.
Innovative We look for imaginative solutions in all areas of our work to enable us to achieve our goals.
What’s in it for you?
- 33 days of annual leave including bank holidays, plus the opportunity to buy or sell up to 5 days annual leave each year
- 8% Company contributed pension (for your 3% contribution)
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental leave (subject to length of service)
- Health cash plan: receive money towards dental and optical care, complimentary treatments such as chiropractic, osteopathic and acupuncture treatments.
- Medical Assistance membership which includes remote access to GP, counselling, and physiotherapy sessions
- Employee assistance programmes which include access to support services for legal, financial, and family concerns
- Life assurance of 4x annual salary.
- Opportunity to apply for tickets to productions
- CLWB – Our employee social group
- NEWID – our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion networking group who meet monthly to discuss new ideas and training opportunities to improve all aspects of employment at WMC.
- Free access to learn Welsh online
- £5 all-day parking available on working and non-working days.
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