Training Opportunity

Foundation Degree in Technical Production

Through in-house productions, industry based placements and hands-on training, you’ll learn all relevant skills relating to the work of the production technician in theatre, events, and other areas of the entertainment industry.

Course overview

With technology at its core, this course offers practical, hands-on training in a variety of high-end lighting, sound, and video systems – skills that are in high demand for the theatre, events, film and television industries in Wales and across the rest of the UK.

You’ll have classes given by leading professionals operating at the top of their field, alongside several production placements, both based at the College and with our industry partners here in Wales.

With your placements, developing your expertise for a technical career in the creative industries is only one part of it. These experiences will also help you to build communication and team working skills that are essential to thriving in collaborative environments.

After graduation, you could take on roles such as a production electrician, lighting technician or programmer, sound and system engineer, video operator or programmer, among many more.

Why study this course?

  • All but two of the modules are designed to replicate the experience of work-based learning. You’ll work with state-of-the-art entertainment industry technology such as, but not limited to, automated lighting and consoles, digital sound systems, video projection and production electrics.
  • You’ll train with a team of staff who are highly skilled industry professionals. They offer you not only first-rate teaching in current best practices, but mentorship and networking opportunities as well.
  • For your placements within the second year at the College, you’ll have a lead production role, under the supervision and guidance of a senior technician, working with the various technical teams (video, lighting, sound) during the fit up of Richard Burton Theatre Company productions.
  • Throughout your training, you’ll work alongside staff from the design and stage-management departments and interact with students from across the College’s performing arts courses. These collaborations will help you to develop an understanding of and empathy of the other fields of practice within the creative arts.
  • Your external placement will take place with one of our leading industry partners, such as the Welsh National Opera, Stage Sound Services, Figure of Eight Events or Sherman Theatre. This opportunity not only gives you practical, real-world experience, but it also allows you to meet and create a network of contacts within the industry.
  • For up to three years after you complete your course, you have the option to ‘top up’ your qualification. You can do this by completing an additional year of study to gain a level 6 qualification as part of our BA (Hons) Stage Management and Technical Theatre.
  • You’ll have talks from, and get to meet, industry professionals from a range of different disciplines, who are regularly invited to speak here at the College – giving you a chance to widen your professional network in readiness for your life after graduation.
  • You’ll take part in visits to local theatre companies, giving you a feel for what the industry is really like. On occasion, when major productions visit Cardiff, we’ll try to arrange visits to the production and organise a tour or talk for your cohort.
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