BTEC Production Arts - Technical Theatre student, Thea, gained D*D*D*, equal to 3 A* grades at A Level: “I struggled in secondary and needed to do something more practical. I’m now working at Kingston Grammar School as a Theatre Technician - I have already helped them develop a show for the Edinburgh fringe. The course is one of the best ways into this industry, it gives you so many contacts and so much experience - you can walk in knowing nothing and walk out feeling like you could walk into a theatre and work a show without an issue.”
Hear more from Thea!
“I chose this course as I knew traditional A Levels weren't for me, I struggled in secondary and needed to do something more practical. The fact that my course was all coursework based really appeals to me and I knew it would allow me to show the best of my abilities. I am now working at Kingston Grammar School as a Theatre Technician, and I’ve already helped them develop a show for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
“On the course, I very much enjoyed working with professional and amateur dramatic companies on their shows allowing me to develop my skills across all disciplines within my industry. I am now working with multiple of these amateur dramatic companies on their next performances. I also developed my programming skills in lighting, mixing skills in sound and calling skills in stage management, as well as developing people skills which greatly helps my work in stage management and many other skills which then help my career.
“I have completed extensive work experience - a chunk of this was with technicians who have worked professionally in the West End, I have worked in a variety of theatres with a variety of groups developing my skills with children, adults, people with special needs and more. These experiences have since helped my applications to many different job roles.
“My course has prepared me for my next steps by giving me real world industry contacts, allowing me to do work experience and work in the industry. These experiences have helped me to get my job at Kingston Grammar as well as putting me in a very good place to work with my amateur dramatic companies as they have worked with me multiple times before.
“I am very proud of my results but I'm even more proud of my work over the past two years. I built a website to advertise my work, for this I had to list my credits - just through my work at College I had 20 sound credits, 18 lighting credits and 12 stage management credits. I was really proud of this as not many 18 year olds have this many credits!
“To someone thinking of studying my course I would say it’s one of the best ways into this industry as most people would go to uni for this but already having that qualification at 18 gives you three extra years of experience over someone that went to uni. This course gives you so many contacts and so much experience, it is a course where you can walk in knowing nothing and walk out feeling like you could walk into a theatre and work a show without an issue.”
