Taking centre stage behind the scenes

I worked in a dead-end retail job before this, it has given me direction and built me into a driven person where my confidence, knowledge, self esteem and courage have soared. It showed me that I can decide where my career goes from here and given me an excellent start to my career.

The best thing has been on the job learning. We have been taught by professionals in our departments and they have trusted us to have responsibilities that affect the organisation. Having the rest of the apprentices was amazing as we all supported each other. We could vent and laugh about all the crazy things and offer advice. It was a way to feel less scared and overwhelmed for a first real job.

I wouldn't have started in theatre and love working in the arts as much as I do if it weren't for the apprenticeship. It has helped so many young people get started in their career. Not all of us continued for various reasons, but for a lot of people it was an opportunity to succeed. The apprenticeship just needs to reach the right people.

It was a wonderful experience to do an apprenticeship with LTC as it has helped to build my confidence and prepare me to go into the world of work, which I was nervous about previously. Doing an apprenticeship has also opened doors for me and given me a greater knowledge to an industry I may have struggled to gain access to before. I am now more aware of the different types of theatre across London and the types of jobs needed to ensure that they operate smoothly.

Doing an apprenticeship is a great opportunity for anyone who is looking to enter an industry that they may be curious about but not have much insight into. Also doing an apprenticeship through LTC was an added bonus as it meant you had a support network of peers that you could go to and discuss how you were finding balancing a full time a job with college assignments that were not always as exciting as the projects and challenges being presented at work.

Doing the apprenticeship as part of a cohort meant we got to see the industry from a variety of perspectives as we were able to visit other theatres in the consortium and discuss with peers who had the same job role as you how it can differ from company to company. This is one of the most invaluable experiences I will take away from my apprenticeship as visiting the other theatres and hearing about their projects really opened my eyes.

I work as a Technical Apprentice and when I first started at the Lyric Hammersmith I worked in the various departments of production from electrics to stage and learnt about all aspects of putting a show on. My main role was then to learn how to rig, focus and plot a show and also to construct sets and now I spend most of my time working as a Technical Assistant Stage Manager (ASM) on performances which means that I assist operating the show with various things from adjusting stage weights to fixing items and manoeuvring around the stage as the show is running.

The apprenticeship and the Lyric have given me confidence in my ability to get a job done. I have also enjoyed working as part of a team and being able to get the support from the department and this has made me believe in my potential as a production team member.

I have enjoyed learning about the various aspects of getting a show on from rehearsals to technical rehearsals to the first live performance in front of an audience. The only thing I would say was hard was when the Lyric was getting refurbished and had no shows, I missed working on them.

If you would like to be a technical apprentice, you have to be dedicated and passionate about theatre and also be hard working and willing to work unsociable hours to get a show up and running. But it’s definitely worth the effort.

Doing this apprenticeship has been so useful to my career. Before doing this, all I knew was acting and it has opened my eyes to so many other options for careers in the theatre. I have learnt so many skills that can be used or carried forward in various job roles. I feel blessed to say that my options are now very open. I am constantly surrounded by like-minded people who share my passion for this industry. It keeps me motivated and pushes me to go even further.

The best thing about the apprenticeship has been learning how a professional theatre works. I've learnt so much from watching people in all departments form the production team, marketing, finance, development and the artistic team. Also, most importantly, I've learnt from and been involved in all the work the young people's department do to develop the talent and potential of young people in the borough.

Everyone needs to have the experience that I have had working in this industry! I've been guided so well throughout the last two years and I have been given so much advice that I will hold on for life. Without this apprenticeship, I would have never have had the confidence to go up to established artists and build relationships and networks. It's a chance in a lifetime to get your foot through the door and start building your career to a higher position that you had ever thought possible.

I’ve been able to learn so much about my department and the creative industries in general. I feel like I wouldn’t have been able to learn this much had I got a job as an Education Assistant. All the connections I’ve made have definitely been a great help. The LTC has been great about providing us with new opportunities. Not just to meet interesting people but also to take part in workshops that have opened my mind and changed how I think about the industry.

Getting your foot in the door is so hard in this industry, so being given that first step in the right direction has helped massively! Before the apprenticeship I wasn’t sure as to what career path I wanted to follow, but now I feel I am definitely interested in Education.

Knowing there is a group of people who are going through the same things as you makes such a difference. We’ve all helped each other personally and professionally. And knowing that when you go to college on Monday you’ll see your friends it makes you even more motivated for the day ahead.

When I began this apprenticeship I was 21. I had had previous jobs in the arts so had some knowledge. But this apprenticeship has given me more knowledge and skills than I would ever have gained elsewhere.