Second semester has begun and if you are anything like I was during my studies, you’ve already started thinking about the summer.
For some this may mean a trip home to see the family. For others, it’s a holiday with their mates that they’ve been dreaming about since last summer ended.
However, for those in their final year of their studies it may be something more serious, such as what they plan to do after graduation.
When I graduated from the University of Leeds in 2021, I was excited to finally be leaving education, buzzing to be getting stuck into the world of live events. However, I quickly ran into a roadblock – I did not have the experience for the roles that I wanted, and I was struggling to find ways to get it!
After applying for what felt like a thousand roles and coming up short in each one, I was left feeling extremely disheartened. “I guess live events just isn’t for me” I decided, giving up on the idea and taking the first full-time job I could find. 10 months passed and I spent all my days wondering whether I’d wasted my time by getting a degree, questioning the decisions I’d made up until that point, and wrestling with the “graduate blues”.
Having gone through this myself, I sympathise with those who find themselves in this situation, as it is something which a lot of graduates experience after leaving university. As mentioned prior, experience is a key factor in finding work in the live events industry, and so building up a portfolio of work is important if you are looking to find a career in the industry. A great way to build this portfolio is by crewing with The Music Consortium. Here are 5 reasons why:
- No experience is needed to do the role;
This makes crewing the perfect opportunity for those who are new to the live events industry. At The Music Consortium we expect 7 attributes in our new starters:
- A strong work ethic.
- Ability to work in a team.
- The desire to learn new skills.
- An awareness of health and safety protocols.
- Punctuality.
- Willingness to work unsociable hours when required.
- Professionalism.
For your first couple of shifts with us you will be paired with an experienced crew member who is there to help with anything you may need. As you continue to gain experience you will pick up all the job specific knowledge you need, but with those 7 attributes you can’t go wrong!
- You can gain that key experience in the industry;
Crewing is a great way to learn about the live events industry from the ground up. Whilst crewing you will be able to learn about a lot of the technical aspects of live events such as audio, lighting, video, and staging. Furthermore, you will be able to build a greater understanding of the bigger picture, which coupled with theoretical knowledge will be a valuable skill. With The Music Consortium you will be able to work on some of the UK’s biggest and best events, and there is no better place to learn than in the deep end!
- You can network with other freelancers;
The best way to progress in the live events industry is by building a reputation amongst freelancers for being knowledgeable, hard-working, and reliable. Through crewing you will meet lots of other likeminded individuals, allowing you to create a network of people through which opportunities will present themselves.
- It is a paid opportunity;
Although volunteering is a great way to gain experience, the lack of pay makes it a lot less accessible for those who cannot afford to commit to working for free. However, with crewing you can get a great amount of experience and opportunities whilst also being paid for your hard graft!
- You can choose when you work to fit around your lifestyle;
As a freelance crew member you are able to choose when you work thanks to your freelance status. This allows you to work and gain experience when it suits you and take on as much or as little work as you would like.
If this sounds appealing and you would be interested in getting involved in crewing with The Music Consortium head to www.themusicconsortium.com/recruitment to apply. Hopefully I’ll see you in the field!
Callum.