Hull Truck Theatre is a pioneering theatre with a bold Northern voice, known for producing and presenting inspiring, high-quality drama. From in-house productions to visiting performances, touring work and community projects, the theatre plays a vital role in Hull’s cultural life.
Based at Hull Truck Theatre, you’ll be joining a collaborative production team working closely with artists, visiting companies and creative professionals to bring live performances to life. This is a fantastic opportunity to start a career in technical theatre, gaining hands-on experience across lighting, sound, stage and production in a real working environment.
What you'll do:
This is an 18-month apprenticeship, working up to 30 hours per week (including training time). You'll gain practical experience while working towards a recognised qualification, developing skills in areas such as:
Pay Rate: Apprenticeship Minimum Wage
In this course, we look to the future. Theatre can take place in front of large audiences in dedicated performance venues, but it can also happen all around us – on the street, in community centres, in prisons and schools. When done well, theatre can have a transformative impact on individuals, communities and society. And you can be part of that.
Focussing on the emerging trends and innovations of 21st-century theatre and performance, we will teach you the building blocks of performance making, whilst supporting your ability to develop highly creative, challenging and impactful work.
You will engage in collaborative group performances throughout the course, allowing you to specialise in what you enjoy the most. You might choose to focus on acting, building your confidence on stage, perfecting your characterisation and portraying that character through performance. You could opt to work in pre-production, playwriting or script writing, or even scenography, designing sets and scenes that bring your production to life.
Head to the link to read more!
Have you ever wanted to work backstage at The Old Vic?
OV Backstage will offer paid placements on an Old Vic main house production to six 18–30-year-olds from underrepresented backgrounds in the arts.
Participants will shadow industry professionals across 15 paid sessions and get hands-on experience in one of the following disciplines:
The programme starts with induction sessions and culminates with a networking session to help participants take the next steps in their careers.
Each participant will receive a fee for taking part in the programme. Additional support for travel costs is available if required.
Who is this programme for?
OV Backstage has been set up to specifically work with people who are currently underrepresented in backstage roles. This includes people from the global majority, women, those from working class backgrounds, care experienced people, neurodiverse people and disabled people. They are particularly keen to hear from people who have had limited or no access to arts opportunities in the past and are committed to identifying and resolving barriers which may ordinarily exclude young people from accessing theatre.
This programme is for those at the start or early on in their careers who can demonstrate a passion for theatre and their chosen discipline. You must have some transferable skills or prior experience. This could be gained from school, a short course, volunteering or your own self led learning. They will not accept applications from anyone with an established theatre career or who has undertaken paid work in their discipline.
With school holidays offering many young people the opportunity to take part in creative activities, it’s often a time when interests grow, and future ambitions begin to take shape.
Whether a young person is already engaged in the arts or just starting to explore, there are many different pathways into a career in the creative industries. However, for many families, these routes can feel unclear or uncertain.
Recent research from Netflix and the National Youth Theatre found that 89% of parents from working-class backgrounds would be unlikely to encourage their child to pursue a career in the creative industries. Building understanding and confidence among parents and carers is an important step in helping more young people feel supported in exploring these opportunities.
Parents Unscripted is a new series from Discover! Creative Careers, created in collaboration with organisations across the creative industries. The series shares the perspectives of parents whose children now work in the sector, offering honest reflections on their journeys.
We’re proud to have collaborated on one of the films in the series, developed alongside Discover! Creative Careers and the National Theatre. In this film, Angela Jumbo, mother of actor and playwright Cush Jumbo, reflects on her child’s journey into the industry and shares her perspective as a parent.
You can watch the other films in the series here!
We know that when parents and carers feel more confident about creative careers, it can make a real difference to a young person’s ability to pursue them.
By sharing these stories, Parents Unscripted aims to open up conversations, challenge misconceptions, and highlight the many routes available across the creative industries.
We encourage teachers, industry professionals and partners to share these films with their networks, whether through newsletters, social media, or conversations with young people and their families.
Helping more families understand the opportunities available in the creative industries is a vital step in supporting the next generation of talent.
Find out more about Discover! Creative Careers here.
Find out more about the National Theatre Skills Centre here.
The UK’s essential exhibition for theatre technicians, suppliers and live performance professionals. The ABTT Theatre Show brings together the specialist companies, expertise and networks that power theatre, performance and live events — all under one roof.
Discover new products, strengthen relationships, attend free seminars, workshops and reconnect with the people who make theatre happen.
The ABTT Theatre Show provides THE essential meeting point for our community – supporting our suppliers, service providers and networks with the opportunity both to renew existing relationships and to forge exciting new connections. Part of encouraging this conversation, collaboration, mentoring and training is the range of range of activities is presented over the two days, including a variety of meetings, debates and seminars.
As well as the opportunity to meet with organisations and professionals from the industry, the event offers a range of seminars and workshops on a range of topics to give you the skills you need to take out into your professional life.
Head over to the opportunity link to grab your FREE ticket.
Come and get a real behind‑the‑scenes look at what it’s like to work backstage on an Emma Rice Company production. You’ll hear directly from our award‑winning technical team and get a sense of the skills and teamwork that go into bringing a show to life. Whether you’re curious about show calling, mixing sound, setting props, or touring, this workshop is a great way to find out more.
We’re looking for people at the start of their career. You don’t need experience in mixing or show calling, but you do need some experience backstage. You’ll be over the age of 18, will have had some training or some work backstage (including youth, community, or amateur productions) and you’ll be looking to take your next step into the theatre industry. We want to hear from emerging Stage Managers, Wardrobe, Sound, Lighting and AV Technicians, with an interest in touring. Or maybe you've got experience in film, TV or music production and are interested in expanding your skillset.
What’s included*:
(Subject to change*)
We encourage all participants to attend Malory Towers, either before or after the tech taster, to get the most out of the day.
9 places per workshop. Ages 18+
The Emma Rice Company is one of the UK’s leading ensemble theatre companies, and our production and backstage teams are vital, professional and playful part of the family. Our Training Programme runs workshops and courses to inspire the next generation of theatre makers.
At Emma Rice Company, we actively encourage people from a variety of backgrounds with different experiences, skills, and stories to join us and influence our work. We know that people who are D/deaf disabled or neurodiverse, from the global majority and / or from a lower socio-economic background are under-represented in the theatre industry. Therefore, if someone identifies as having one or multiple of these protected characteristics, we are particularly interested in meeting them.
Please note as Emma Rice Company offers this workshop around the country, preference will be given to local people. We consider our taster as being an ideal way to connect with budding technical theatre specialists that we wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to meet.
Dates & Venues
Friday 8th May - Theatre Royal Bath
Wednesday 20th May - Brighton Festival
Friday 29th May - Leeds Playhouse
Friday 12th June - Manchester Home
Friday 29th June - Liverpool Playhouse
Friday 17th July - Yvonne Arnaud
Thursday 30th July - Alexandra Palace
Theatre Royal Bath - 10th April
Brighton Festival - 10th April
Leeds Playhouse - 16th May
Manchester Home - 30th April
Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse - 5th May
Yvonne Arnaud - 4th June
Alexandra Palace - 17th June
Work experience offers practical, hands-on insight into the theatre industry, helping you build skills, confidence, and a clearer understanding of different career pathways. It’s an ideal first step when exploring a future in theatre. As an initial step, we recommend getting in contact with your local theatre to see if they offer any work experience opportunities.
While many people associate theatre careers with performing, there are a huge number of offstage roles that make productions possible. From stage management and lighting to marketing, producing, costume, sound, and technical theatre, work experience allows you to explore these departments and discover which areas interest you most. Taking part in work experience placements can provide a range of valuable benefits, including:
Understanding How Theatres Work:
Working within a theatre environment allows you to see how different departments collaborate to bring a production to life. This perspective is incredibly valuable if you're considering a career in the sector.
Developing Practical Theatre Skills:
Work experience often gives you the chance to assist with real tasks, whether that’s supporting technical teams, observing rehearsals, helping front-of-house teams, or working with marketing and administration departments.
Building Confidence and Professional Skills:
Being part of a professional environment helps you develop communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills that are essential across the creative industries.
Making Connections in the Theatre Industry:
The theatre industry is highly collaborative. Work experience placements can introduce you to professionals working in the field and help you begin building a network within the industry.
Strengthening Future Applications:
Whether you're applying for drama school, university courses, apprenticeships, or entry-level roles, work experience demonstrates enthusiasm, initiative, and commitment to the sector.
Many theatres and arts organisations across the UK offer work experience placements, shadowing opportunities, and youth programmes. Availability and application processes vary, but the following organisations regularly provide opportunities for young people interested in theatre careers:
London
South of England
Midlands
North of England
North of England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
You may also want to check the websites of theatres local to you, as many venues offer placements throughout the year or during school holidays.
Work experience is one of the most valuable ways to begin exploring opportunities in theatre. It provides a clearer understanding of how productions are created and how different departments work together behind the scenes.
Whether your interests lie in technical theatre, production, stage management, marketing, or theatre administration, gaining offstage experience is an excellent way to start your journey in the industry.
A paid summer work and cultural exchange opportunity for creatives aged 18+.
Camp America offers a paid summer opportunity to live and work at an American summer camp for 9–12 weeks, with performing arts and creative roles available across camps in the USA. This is more than just work experience - it’s a chance to use your creative skills while living the full summer camp life!
Creatives from all backgrounds are placed in roles where they can teach, lead and inspire young people through acting, singing, dance, music, technical theatre and production, while also being part of a wider camp community. Alongside your role, you’ll take part in classic camp activities, build international friendships and experience everyday life in the USA. While we work with specialist theatre and performing arts camps, performing arts roles are available across many different camps, not just specialist ones.
This opportunity is ideal for those who:
Camps generally run from mid-Jun to mid-August – but this can vary by camp and location.
The ABTT Theatre Show will once again take place at the stunning Alexandra Palace on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 June.
The ABTT Theatre Show 2026 is the exhibition where the broadest collection of specialist suppliers supporting live performance technology, production and education gather to connect with others in the world of theatre, performance, events, festivals, music and more.
The ABTT Theatre Show draws exhibitors and visitors from all over the world whether they be interested in lighting, audio visual, scenography, rigging, set construction, sound, costume, seating, staging, wigs, make-up, pyrotechnics or anything else employed in a performance. A range of activities will be presented over the two days, including a variety of meetings, debates and seminars and providing spaces for all their sister Associations and organisations to meet in person.
How to book:
Join one of RADA’s upcoming Open Days for an inside look at our Foundation Degree in Technical Theatre and Stage Management.
You’ll have the opportunity to meet our students and staff, explore our training spaces, visit technical departments, and find out more about life at RADA including funding, student support, and career pathways.
Open Days 2025-2026:
At RADA, we enable exceptional technicians, managers, designers and makers to thrive through world-leading, industry-focused training that blends hands-on experience with professional practice.
Whether you’re exploring lighting, sound, props, scenic art, or stage management, our open days are the perfect chance to discover how RADA can help you become a highly skilled and creative theatre-maker.
