Apprenticeships in theatre making

Shakespeare is for everyone regardless of background, ability, age or ethnicity. That ethos permeates the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), underpinning the opportunities we offer through our learning and national partnerships work, as well as our Apprenticeships Programme.

It is also the founding principle of our role as a teaching theatre. Inspired by the teaching hospital model, we aim to be a national centre for teaching, training, learning and research about Shakespeare and theatre arts, investing in, supporting and training current and future generations of theatre artists and professionals. In parallel, it aims to widen access to our work and the opportunities we offer to build a stronger, fairer and more diverse arts sector.

We offer one of the country’s largest arts learning programmes reaching some 500,000 young people a year in some of the country’s most structurally disadvantaged areas. And our programme of community engagement reaches hundreds of adult participants each year. Now we have committed to bringing in 28 active apprentices by 2024. Seven began in early this year, a further four will join in April and the remainder will be in post by Spring 2024.

Equipping apprentices for future employment

As well as the work we put on stage, there’s a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure that our productions, buildings and facilities operate as smoothly as possible.

Our apprentices are equipped for future employment in the theatre by learning from experts and being supported by mentors and learning providers in departments across the organisation. These include Learning and National Partnerships, Operations, Front of House, Automation, Engineering, Workshop, Costume, Estates and HR. We are also exploring further apprenticeships in Stage Management, Prop Making, Running Wardrobe, Marketing and Communications departments.

Historically the industry has struggled to attract people from a diverse range of backgrounds. It’s an issue that the RSC is acutely aware of and one of the key drivers when developing our Apprenticeships Programme was to provide a way into getting a job in theatre for people who might not ordinarily have considered those opportunities.

We prioritise working in areas of structural disadvantage offering clear progression routes through various programmes. For our Apprenticeships Programme, we aim to further facilitate social mobility by providing pathways and progression routes for people who may have faced barriers to finding their way into the theatre industry.

Four RSC apprentices stood in front of Royal Shakespeare Company's building. They are stood directly behind three big red letters that reads 'RSC'. They are looking and smiling at the camera.

Apprentices at the RSC Photo: Sara Beaumont, RSC

Not just for school leavers

We know apprenticeships are an important progression route for young people, but we are also delighted that our current cohort includes a former policeman, a former school worker and a former carer looking for a way back into the workforce doing something she loves.

Lisa took time out of her career to dedicate herself to being a full-time carer. In the past, Lisa might have written off her life-long ambition to work in theatre because her commitments made it impossible. Now, as an apprentice at the RSC, she has been able to fulfil that dream because she can do it while earning a wage to support herself at the same time.

And while we welcome applications from anyone interested in taking a work-based path into a career in theatre, we are keen to facilitate social mobility by focussing on people with under-represented protected characteristics and/or from lower socio-economic backgrounds to create a more diverse and inclusive organisation.

Widening participation

Part of that is about raising awareness among people who might not ordinarily consider a career in the arts sector and part of it is about tapping into working groups like the government’s Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network (ADCN). The ADCN is an employer-led network with representatives from over 90 member organisations.

We come from a huge range of sectors all committed to taking action to widen participation in apprenticeships, champion diversity and support greater social mobility. Bringing together like-minded stakeholders with this shared objective has proven hugely beneficial. It’s a mutually supportive network where we can all learn what works best, share best practice and exchange practical advice and support.

For the RSC, this is about far more than ticking boxes and fulfilling quotas. It is about building a happier, more creative, more representative and more productive workforce. And when that happens – and it’s very much a work in progress – our sector will reap enormous benefits. Not just behind the scenes, but in the audiences we attract and in the work we put on our stages.

Pritti Shoker is Apprenticeships and Training Manager at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
www.rsc.org.uk
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