The Old Vic Hub has now launched – a brand new online platform offering free interactive content devised by theatre creatives and professionals. The resources on The Hub are designed to welcome anyone, of any age, experience or ability, into the magical world of theatre and beyond.
Find out how The Old Vic operates, get inspired in your own career development (in any industry) and try out free training resources to learn new skills, and to support your own wellbeing. You’ll find The Hub easy to use and packed full of different types of content, from written guides and virtual tours to video workshops and podcasts to help you unleash your creative potential, develop skills and build your confidence.
Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
At British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT) we love to give opportunities to those who are wanting to pursue a career within the musical theatre industry the chance to complete some work experience with us.
We offer those in sixth form, college or university the opportunity to complete one full working week (five days) of work experience with us working within a role suited to their interests. You must be aged 18 or over at the time when you will be completing your work experience with us, but are welcome to apply before. Please note the five days cannot be spread over multiple weeks.
We also offer those who are post education or those who are wanting some experience volunteering within an arts charity, the opportunity to volunteer with us on a longer basis. Please note we are looking for people who would be able to work one day week with us, for a minimum of six months.
Applications for these positions are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Please note these are unpaid positions.
We can offer administrative work experience with either our marketing department (based in our Leeds Office) or within the roles focusing on our young company (based in our London Office).
If you are interested in working with us in this capacity, please complete the Google form attached here, so we can consider the suitable work experience, or volunteer role, for you. We are unable to accept an email of a CV alone as a way of registering interest.
There is the potential to cover some travel expenses, however this would be discussed on a case-by-case basis once your position has been agreed on.
Please note if you are looking for experience within a production role, we are unable to offer this as a work experience role and instead each year hire a Production Assistant to help programme and run our season. This is a paid role and works on a fixed-term contract, from January to December each year. If you are interested in creative work experience on one of our productions not as a Production Assistant please see the Creative Work Placements as there may be a role that interests you there. The application for Production Assistant for our 2025 season has now closed. Applications for Production Assistant for our 2026 season will open in November 2025.
If you would like to discuss our volunteering or work experience opportunities, or have any further questions please email us at mail@bymt.org or call us on 0113 320 1018.
Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education (DDE)
The ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing) DDE is an initial accredited teaching qualification at Level 4, aimed at students from 16 years or older who wish to begin training as a dance teacher. Bird College offers the DDE in Modern, Tap and Imperial Classical Ballet as extra-curricular classes to those students who are taking the Degree or Diploma courses. This intensive course runs throughout the Christmas, Easter and half term holidays and is led by one of the ISTD’s Senior Examiners.
The DDE is broken down into five units:
Unit 1 – Preparing for Safe Dance Teaching – Bird students are exempt from this on completion of their Degree or Diploma
Unit 2 – Observing, Assisting and Teaching – Bird students can complete this Unit working with College classes or outside at private dance schools
Unit 3 – Intermediate – this must be gained before Unit 4 can be taken
Unit 4 – Dance Practice – study of the syllabi in the genre of the student’s choice
Unit 5 – Emotional, Social and Cognitive Development – this can be studied via a Distance Learning Tutor while at College or after Graduation
Why do I need a teaching qualification?
A lot of performing Artists also engage in teaching during and after their performing careers. In the world today it is almost impossible to acquire a teaching career without a qualification. An accredited initial teaching qualification not only makes you much more employable, but fully prepares you for the day when you might open your own dance school.
Is the Qualification recognised?
The DDE is accredited by the Regulatory Bodies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Ofqual, DCELLS, CCEA) and is on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). This means that, as well as standing alone as a respected dance teaching qualification that gives you the opportunity to teach across a wide variety of dance genres, it can contribute towards other higher level qualifications.
On our practice-based Stage and Production Management MA course, you’ll work closely with fellow GSA students to deliver stellar productions.
Through intensive seminars and workshops, you’ll be introduced to stage management and technical disciplines and begin your professional development planning. You’ll then work on a wide variety of production projects across performance spaces within the University and at external venues. There will also be opportunities to take on senior production-critical roles as deputy stage manager, stage manager or production manager on our public productions, under the guidance of our experienced and industry-connected staff.
You’ll also have the chance to complete an industry placement and your professional development planning will culminate in presenting your work at a London showcase event.
On our BA Theatre Production course, you‘ll work on a variety of productions including plays, musicals, devised projects and events.
Beginning with a comprehensive introduction to all core subjects relating to professional theatre production, you’ll build experience in a range of skills including sound, lighting, stage management and construction and Scenic Arts. You will also get an overview introduction to video and theatre design. We are proud to have strong industry links, and teaching current industry standards linked and integrated with key organisations is at the heart of our vocational training.
As you progress through the course, you’ll be able to select one dedicated area for specialist development, eventually taking senior Head of Department production-critical responsibility across a range of public performances. Industry placement and professional development modules are also a core part of this course and you’ll have the opportunity to present your work at a final year showcase.
This is a unique and renowned course designed specifically for those who are already practising as or who wish to establish themselves as professional theatre directors.
MA/MFA Theatre Directing is open to emerging theatre directors from the UK and to students from around the world. Teaching is by a wide range of leading directors and professional practitioners from the UK and overseas. The programme benefits from its close ties with the London theatre world, which provides training expertise of the highest calibre and the professional networks that are vital to launching a career.
East 15 also runs some modules overseas, most recently in Moscow and Bali, involving specialist practical study in an alternative cultural environment.
The MA runs for one year on a full-time basis and the MFA for 24 months. For the MA, you take four modules during three consecutive terms, followed by a three-month period of independent study, at the end of which you present your Director’s Production Workbook (or, alternatively, your MA Dissertation).
For the MFA, running over 24 months, you take eight modules during six consecutive terms, followed by independent study that results in a fully resourced practical project at one of East 15’s spaces or in a London theatre (or, alternatively, an MFA Dissertation).
Each year you have the opportunity to choose four modules out of the seven or eight different options that we offer every year. The menu of modules rotates on a regular basis but always covers a range of directorial practice that is unrivalled in its diversity and will include several of the following:Shakespeare, Contemporary British Drama, Comedy, Musical Theatre and Opera, Physical Theatre, Brecht, Techniques of Adaptation, Improvisation and Devising Techniques, Contemporary Irish Drama, Rehearsal Processes and Workshops, Collaboration with Designers, Attachment (Assistant Director), The Artistic Director, Commedia dell’Arte and Directing for Camera.
Overseas modules in Bali and Thailand include: World Theatre and Theatre of the East. In Moscow, at the GITIS Institute, modules include: Stanislavskian Acting Methodology, Meyerhold and Biomechanics, Michael Chekhov.
MA/MFA Theatre Directing is open to applicants with a background in theatre directing or related fields and is specifically tailored to those seeking professional development in this area. Study is full time but some module choices enable periods of time away to pursue professional theatre work.
East 15 Acting School’s BA Creative Producing (Theatre and Short Film) course is a full-time, industry-focused training aimed at entrepreneurial artists with an interest in creating, producing, administrating and promoting theatre and film.
This three-year practical course draws together the broad disciplines of theatre and film (such as writing for performance, lighting & sound, theatre directing & directing for camera, screenwriting, film editing, location management, dramaturgy, and digital set design) with business-focused aspects of the creative arts and associated industries (including marketing, web-design, social media, fundraising, and arts management). It prepares you for a career in the creative industries working as producers and facilitators, and develops transferable skills in communication, presentation, administration, leadership and critical analysis.
Based at our vibrant and modern Southend Campus, you will have direct access to our state-of-the-art Clifftown Theatre and the opportunity to work alongside further East 15 students studying on our actor training programs.
East 15 Acting School’s BA Stage and Production Management course is a practical-based professional training that prepares you for careers in a range of production and technical roles in theatre, events and related creative industries.
We emphasise learning through practice and you are part of a creative production team from early in the course. Based at our picturesque Loughton Campus, our proximity to London means you will be able to keep up-to-date with the latest technical innovations in one of the world’s greatest theatre capitals. Our specially equipped Unit Four building is complete with workshops, an IT suite and seminar rooms – the perfect environment for learning your craft!
We want you to learn, grow and succeed as managers in the music, theatre and entertainment industries.
In your first year, you develop a deep understanding of business, management, marketing and how to apply these skills in the theatre, entertainment and music industries. During second year, you start to specialise by taking on work which reflects your own personal career ambitions. You produce and deliver significant commercial events and products. You also gain experience of managing people and projects. We teach you how the contemporary global entertainment industry works and enhance your understanding of how digital software enables theatre, music and events managers to succeed. In your third year, you go on an industry placement and experience the front-line realities of business. Then, in your final term, we help you to bring all of this learning together so that you are fully prepared for the start of the rest of your entertainment, music and theatre industry career.
We want you to be able to create meaningful drama and theatre for, with and by different communities.
Recognising that theatre can be more than entertainment, you focus on the potential of drama to educate and bring about social change. You develop core skills as a theatre practitioner, while gaining practical experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds and understanding the social issues that affect them. You leave as a confident and innovative facilitator and director with the knowledge and skills to work across the spectrum of applied theatre and community drama.
