New Technical Course in Edinburgh, Unique course that offers a quick route to work Options

[GTarbuck]

To everyone who is interested in training.

A new course is starting in Edinburgh this September. Go here www.edinburghlightingandsoundschool.co.uk

[Simon Lewis]

To everyone who is interested in training.

In the interests of disclosure, you might add that you are the director of said course...

[boswell]

and that the courses are non-accredited!!

[gareth]

Would be interested to hear how this course speeds up the "route into work". No course, no matter how good, can guarantee a job at the end of it, surely? How does this course furnish its students with an increased chance of getting into a job than a graduate of the technical courses at, say, LIPA or Central or RWCMD?

[Stuart91]

Would be interested to hear how this course speeds up the "route into work".

Presumably, because the course is supported and hosted by Blacklight, one of the larger lighting companies in the Edinburgh area, students would be more likely to pick up work from them?

[gareth]

They're offering fifteen places per year on the course. Somehow I can't see them taking all fifteen onto the Blacklight staff!

[slipstream]

At £5k course fee- and no mention of wages for working shows on placement, seems like an easy way to crew shows over the festival.

I salute you

Sam

[Stuart91]

Somehow I can't see them taking all fifteen onto the Blacklight staff!

True, but presumably someone who had multiple placements alongside Blacklight staff will have a better chance of employment or freelance work than someone who hasn't. However, I'm just speculating - perhaps the OP would like to fill us in?

[richard]

Is an interesting idea - worth noting that it doesn't actually start until September (so after the festival), it does seem rather expensive for a non-accredited course that doesn't even run a full year, but the benefit of the course can probably only be judged when we know what placements students get and what training they receive. I am slightly concerned by the requirement to join BECTU as this appears to be in order to get PLI for all the students, I would imagine that any educational establishment should arrange such cover for their students, and I'm suprised that the BECTU freelance PLI covers people in this situation.

I do think the course could have prospects, so am not sure we should diss it outright, but there are quite a few questions that could do with being answered!

Richard

[GTarbuck]

Dear Forum,

I am aware that my first post was not clear and was missinterpreted by many.

I am George Tarbuck the director of the Edinburgh Lighting and Sound School.

Please keep the questions coming - the website will be upgraded in a couple of weeks to answer them

Placements are for a nominal 35 hours a week however ths students will probably asked to work some evenings and weekends and will be paid by the host organisation for this work. At this point a placement becomes freelance work and BECTU membership becomes appropriate. If any student is offered paid work during the course permission will be given wherever possible. This will happen, we are short of crew in Edinburgh.

The Festival is not included in the course because firstly all the graduates who want to will be working the festival and earning money and secondly every warehouse in Edinburgh is empty as all the kit is out so there is nothing to train them on.

A group of us have set up the school in response to the closure of the tech course at Queen Margaret University here in Edinburgh. I have run the Lighting and Sound teaching on the course for the past eighteen years with a graduate employment rate of 98%. I have been working in the industry for thirty five years. I still freelance as a lighting designer. We are doing this from the best of possible motives, this is not a get rich quick scheme, we stand to make very little from this.

Setting up this school is proving interesting process to say the least. Any suggestions welcome. Anyone who is up in Edinburgh please give us a ring and we will buy you a beer, show you round and explain what we are trying to do.

Sorry for any confusion.

Best wishes,

George Tarbuck
Director
Edinburgh Lighting and Sound School

[Rozztech]

Having not looked in depth into the background of the idea, all I would add (as an Edinburgh lad) is that ANY way of getting people interested is good.

thats all I've got to say.

[zonino]

A group of us have set up the school in response to the closure of the tech course at Queen Margaret University here in Edinburgh. I have run the Lighting and Sound teaching on the course for the past eighteen years with a graduate employment rate of 98%.

in the target industry?

[richard]

Queen Margaret's was a good course - I know a few people who studied there, and it is a real shame that it has closed down. This hopefully gives this new course some credibility, however I'm still unclear on exactly how the training will work, and what benefits the course will give for the money.

[GTarbuck]

A group of us have set up the school in response to the closure of the tech course at Queen Margaret University here in Edinburgh. I have run the Lighting and Sound teaching on the course for the past eighteen years with a graduate employment rate of 98%.

in the target industry?

Yes in Theatre, Events, Music and the entertainment industry.

[savage1]

As interesting as it would be I just can't justify 5k on a course unless I was going to make at least 12k while on said course... It's a bit expensive when you can't get a student loan to cover the fee.

Perhaps off setting some placement income to allow a much lower advance and you'll have people queuing at the door.