Spoilt for Choice
The range of vocational training opportunities available in Britain can match anything available in Europe and at its best, is still recognised as a world leader. With a large number of excellent examples of quality training providers throughout Britain, we are fortunate to have an effective infrastructure serving the needs of the performing arts industry.
With such a vast array of options in vocational training, a student may presume that any course can provide the necessary route to professional employment. In fact, a number of key issues should be considered, starting with the real purpose of vocational training.
The following list attempts to identify a range of objectives that define the purpose of vocational training. It is important to remember that the aim of any vocational training is to provide a student with the necessary understanding and expertise to obtain professional work within his/her chosen field. The 'type' of training or the specialist areas studied, tends to dictate which employment sectors are open to newly qualified graduates, particularly in the first year or two. This is why a student's final choice is so paramount to his/her development as a performing artist.
The purpose of vocational trainings is to:
- Develop a range of technical (physical) skills appropriate to the artform and industry
- Build an understanding of the artform's vocabularies through the application of technique experience a range of settings appropriate to an artform
- Provide an understanding of the possible employment sectors and recruitment procedures (auditions, agents etc.)
- Develop a student's creativity, artistic interpretation and communication
Once you have a clear idea of the purpose of vocational training, further consideration can be given to the issue of quality. There are various key elements that are essential to a performing artist's initial training. Use the following four points as means of measuring the effectiveness of a vocational course. Any accomplished provide will be able to provide the necessary information. If you discover any gaps, seriously reconsider your options.
- Identify the number of hours allocated to studying technique. Be careful to distinguish between tutor led hours (contact time) and student rehearsal time. Vocational training requires a high level of technical study with experienced tutors;
- Examine the past experiences of each tutor. You need to look for teachers with relevant expertise and current knowledge of the industry as well as a track record in teaching;
- The facilities and equipment available will play an important role in providing a quality learning experience. Study areas (studios, practise rooms etc.) must be appropriate to the artform (sprung dance floors, proper acoustics etc.) And provide sufficient space for all the class. Feel free to ask if the equipment available is industry recognised, particularly if recording facilities are essential to your studies;
- Remember that vocational training cannot exist in a vacuum, as it is designed to serve the needs of employers. Check for established links between the college and the industry such as showcases, open-days etc.
Two other areas should be given some consideration, qualifications and multidiscipline training.
For some artforms, nationally recognised qualifications will be a new development. For some employers, qualifications are viewed as superfluous, particularly when the audition process is the main method of recruitment. In the past, it was considered problematic to maintain the practical nature of vocational training and comply with the rigid and numerous criteria stipulated by the qualification awarding body. This is now changing and many training providers have adapted existing delivery and assessment methods that compliment the needs of vocational training.
If you consider the bigger picture, nationally recognised qualifications do provider important benefits. Apart from providing a universal form of achievement, a nationally recognised qualification will fit within a framework of qualifications, enabling further study, research and professional development. The concept of lifelong learning is vital for all arts professionals who work in an industry that requires an artist to 'juggle' their work commitments; often work outside their specialist area, sometimes in a non-art related sector. Qualifications can also play an essential role if an artist decides to change career direction. Future employers will need to understand and recognise past achievements if an artists is to make a transition into another employment sector.
At the risk of over simplification, vocational training for the performing arts can be divided into two clusters, single discipline training (focusing on one artform) and multidiscipline training (combining specialisms from a number of artforms). Both forms of training are valid and some courses will fall between the two clusters, but a prospective student must consider the pros and cons of each cluster. If you wish to focus on one area of the performing arts and foresee your work opportunities contained within a single employment sector, then single discipline training will provide the necessary intensity required to complete within this market. If your aspiration is to work in a range of employment sectors and/or artforms, you may need to consider a course with a wider focus that imparts a range of skills relating to the needs of various employers.
The last item on the checklist is the small issue of funding. In recent years funding for some vocational dance and drama training has become the responsibility for the higher and further education funding councils. This provides a certain level of parity for dance and drama students when compared to other subjects. As with all student support systems, the move appears to be towards loans and reduced maintenance support and therefore will require the student to part fund in some form, his or her training experience. Earning money during term-time is a reality facing many students and for performing art students, the demands of evening rehearsals and performances applies additional pressures. The skill of juggling work and study will certainly prepare a student for the unpredictable and erratic nature of the arts industry. An honest appraisal of your financial position before the start of a course can save a lot of wasted time in the long-term.
And finally, when you have completed any vocational training course, remember to view the graduation as the start of your professional learning experience and not the conclusion!
Vocational training checklist:
- Understand the purpose of vocational training
- Identify the number of hours for technical study
- Ask about each tutor's past experiences
- Check the facilities and equipment
- Look for links between the college and employers
- Consider what type of qualification you require
- Identify your wish list of future employers/employment sectors
- Checkout all available funding
- View your graduation as the starting point of your professional development
