The BA (Hons) Top-Up is open to Mountview students currently studying on the FdA course, as well as non-Mountview graduates with relevant qualifications and experience from another technical training provider.
Mountview’s Technical Production training is primarily focussed on sound and lighting, while also incorporating video and technical stage craft. Course content includes lighting and sound studio skills, the preparation and management of technical equipment, lighting and sound system design, how to programme and operate desks, video mapping and design, as well as core technical and maintenance skills.
With over 25 in-house productions each year in Mountview’s state-of-the-art theatres, Technical Production students benefit from a vast array of learning experiences:
Mountview is also internationally recognised for the quality of its Musical Theatre training and produces at least eight large-scale musicals in-house every year, providing Technical Production students with extensive experience of the musical format.
Mountview also offers a two-year Foundation degree (FdA) in Technical Production which provides fast-track training.
COURSE CONTENT AND DELIVERY
The BA (Hons) Top-Up course is designed for students who have completed a foundation degree or equivalent in a technical production discipline. With at least 30 contact hours per week over 36 weeks, the course offers intensive, hands-on training in a professional environment.
From the start, students will take on senior technical roles in Mountview’s public productions, working closely with professional lighting and sound designers, technicians, and programmers. Students can choose to specialise in either lighting or sound, while continuing to develop a broad range of technical skills. All learning is rooted in practical experience, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and adaptability.
Alongside production work, students complete an extended research project in their chosen area of interest, submitted at the end of the course.
Join the Edinburgh Fringe Society for £5 per year to have a hand in shaping the festival's future!
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is the organisation that underpins the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Its core aims are to support participants, assist Fringe audiences and celebrate the Fringe and what it stands for all over the world.
As an open membership organisation, we're always looking for new and diverse voices to join the conversation and help shape the future of the Society.
Membership costs £5 a year to cover administration costs and members are responsible for electing the Board of Directors, adopting the accounts and appointing the auditors each year. By choosing to become a member of the Fringe Society, you play a significant role in one of the world’s most incredible arts festivals.
Membership to the Fringe Society is annual and runs for 12 months from the point at which you join. Before your membership expires we will remind you to renew your membership so you can continue to make a contribution to the Society.
The founding principle at the heart of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – to be an open-access arts event that welcomes anyone with a story to tell and a venue to host them – still guides the work of the Society today.
It’s our policy that no single individual or committee determines who can or cannot perform on the Fringe.
The Society was formed in 1958, in recognition of the fact that more and more performers were coming to Edinburgh despite not being included in the Edinburgh International Festival programme. Its earliest tasks included providing information to artists, publishing the Fringe Programme and creating a central box office. In 1969 the Society was incorporated as a limited company and its constitution published.
Unlike many other festivals, our constitution celebrates the fact that the Society does not vet the Fringe Programme. That means we have no artistic director and that the programme is shaped by the initiative and vision of performers willing to showcase their work here.
For more information and to become a member, click the Opportunity Info link below!
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
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.
This fast track degree, taught by current industry professionals, provides a two year route into the theatre production industry whether in stage management, lighting, sound or AV across theatre, festivals and events. In association with Tobacco Factory Theatres and Bristol Old Vic Theatre, you experience two working theatres and learn technical theatre crafts from experienced professionals in a way that’s more similar to an apprenticeship.
The course is limited to just 12 students to re-create a professional working environment and culture from day one. There is a national shortage of skilled technical staff in the theatre and live events industries and Technical Theatre Arts graduates are in high demand. BSA’s strong industry networks help open doors to a rewarding career.
Designed as an accelerated pathway, this two-year degree packs 40 weeks of teaching into each year, matching the total teaching time of traditional three-year degrees. This means you enter the workforce sooner whilst saving more than £10,000 in tuition fees and living costs combined.
WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?
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.
Applications are now open for work placements in the Scenic Art department at the National Theatre.
These two-week placements are for those studying, or recently graduated from, a Scenic Art or other relevant higher education course and looking for work experience in this field. Please note:
Placements will take place between April 2026 and March 2027.
Placements are not paid, but travel and food expenses will be covered.
This is an opportunity for people aged 18+.
As part of your application, please upload a CV, covering letter explaining why you are applying for this placement, and a short portfolio of your work. If you have any questions or if you would like to submit an application via an alternative format, please contact one of the Skills Centre team at skillscentre@nationaltheatre.org.uk who can offer guidance on how to do this.
The brand-new series of In Dialogue - the podcast for emerging artists, is now here. Whether you’re an aspiring theatre-maker, performer, writer, director or producer, then this one’s for you.
Across four episodes, these five artists dive into topics like nailing your audition, building creative partnerships, touring as a performer and producing autobiographical work.
If you're looking to elevate your creativity and your career, make sure to tune in – this is one series you won’t want to miss!
First episode is now available to stream, search Scottish Youth Theatre wherever you get your podcasts or use the link in the bio to listen now.
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.
