A groundbreaking Technical Apprenticeship Programme launched by the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) last year has won the award for Best Collaboration Between Industry and Industry and Education at this year’s Creative & Cultural Skills Conference.
The Award was collected at this week's ceremony at the Backstage Centre at High House Production Park in Purfleet, by representatives from ATG including John Young (Head of Technical Services), Zoe Briggs (Learning Partnerships Manager) and Karen Townsend (Head of Learning and Access).
Developed in partnership with North Hertfordshire College, White Light Ltd, Fairfield Halls and the Association of British Theatre Technicians and supported by the Creative Employment Programme with Arts Council England Lottery funding, ATG’s Technical Apprenticeship Programme began in September 2013, with four apprentices currently employed until August 2014.
Each Apprentice Theatre Technician is based at one of ATG’s renowned regional receiving houses: the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, Richmond Theatre, the New Wimbledon Theatre and the Churchill Theatre in Bromley. The current Apprentice in Bromley is 19 year old Daniel Stickings.
Apprentices are benefitting from training and work experience with ATG and the partner organisations, reflecting industry practice in the comprehensive partnership working that already exists in this field. They also have access to the most up to date equipment and techniques not available in colleges or universities.
Throughout the year, they will gain the EDI Level 2 Certificate in Technical Theatre Support, and the assessment criteria for this qualification will form the backbone of practical assessment to be woven throughout the full programme.
Rosemary Squire, ATG’s Joint CEO, said: “I’m thrilled for our Creative Learning and Technical departments because this award win is industry recognition for a project that is richly deserved. It’s a new initiative for ATG
and has been a particularly successful opportunity for young people to train on-the-job.
We’re hopeful that the technical apprenticeships will become an annual fixture, fuelling our technical workforce with highly trained, inspired young employees. Training within the industry is vital and as a company we are working towards improving opportunities across all areas of the business.”
Zoe Briggs, ATG’s Learning Partnerships Manager, said: “This is a prestigious industry award and recognises the work that we’ve all done over the past year to establish the Technical Apprenticeship Programme, not to mention all that ATG invests in its young professionals, and our partnerships working with other industry organisations, universities and colleges.”
John Young, Head of Technical Services for ATG, said: “We are delighted that this collaboration has worked so well, each organisation giving their all to deliver the technical apprenticeships to the highest possible standard. Receiving this accolade is very gratifying, as are the achievements of the fine young apprentices we are training.”
Ed Brimley, Technical Manager at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley, said: “This is a great achievement for The Churchill Theatre and is great recognition of the work that the Technical teams do in our venues. The industry needs new blood and this is a great way of creating good technicians from the ground up. As one of the pilot venues we all feel engaged with this initiative and look forward to its continuing success in the years to come.”
