Educational HELP

[minimac]

Hi there, just want a little advice really. I am taking my GCSE’S at the moment and I would like to go into the lighting business. I have done school and amateur dramatics lighting, but would like to take it further. What would you suggest that I did next? I don’t really want to go to six form, but I am considering an apprenticeship with an electrician, with a view to lighting in the future.

 

 

My friend and I are trying to set up are own business, stage work, disco’s etc. We have a fair amount of equipment, but would like to have some qualifications of some sort. Would my age stop me from going on courses at the end of this year?

 

Thank you.

[sparkylx]

HI

 

There are quite a few BTEC courses in technical theatre for 16 to 18 year olds, why not try your local college?

 

 

Mark

[Brian]

I don’t really want to go to six form, but I am considering an apprenticeship with an electrician, with a view to lighting in the future.

Good plan. Having any 'higher' qualification is always useful; something which is useful to your chosen career and which you can always fall back on in hard times is extra useful.

 

I started pretty much in your situation, I was expected to do very well in O levels (that dates me) and the school had assumed I'd do A levels and then university. I had other ideas. I left school at 16 with 13 O levels and got an apprenticeship with a major electronics company. With them I did 4 years of day release, gaining an HND. During that time I was earning a wage which my friends who did A levels/University could only dream about. Since I was still living at home I was able to spend a lot on lighting/sound equipment and a vehicle to transport it in.

 

Skip to age 22, my friends leave university and have to find jobs. I have a very well paid job, a car, a luton van and a shed ful of equipment.

 

As for the age issue, there are certain things you need to be 18 for, Pyrotechnics is one example.