The industry today — workplaces, jobs and future
Where do the technicians work, and what does the industry demand?
When you are trained you are in demand everywhere people gather to experience something. The trade is broad and it is one of its great strengths: the same basic skills in sound light and stage can be used in many different kinds of companies.
§Where do the technicians work?
- 01Theatres and venues with permanent technical staff
- 02Event and rental companies that supply sound and lighting for events
- 03Festivals and concert promoters
- 04TV and media production
- 05Conference and exhibition centres
- 06Museums and experience places with exhibition technology
- 07Conference centres, hotels and companies with their own meeting facilities
Some technicians are permanently employed somewhere, for example at a theatre or with a rental company. Others work more project-oriented and are involved in changing productions. Both are common in the industry and many try a bit of everything before they find their niche.
§A sector that follows experiences
Demand in the trade is linked to how much live experience happens. When many concerts, conferences and cultural events are held, there is need for technicians. Live experiences generally have a strong place in culture, and at the same time technology takes up more and more space — more screens, sound and lighting are needed than a generation ago.
§The technology is moving fast
AV Technology, LED Screens, Digital Mixing Consoles, Network-Controlled Lighting and Wireless Technology Develop All the Time. This Means the Trade Never Stands Still: You Will Learn New Equipment Throughout Your Working Life. For Many, That's Precisely What Makes the Trade Exciting — You Never Stop Getting Smarter.
§The future
The limits between theatre, event, TV and digital experiences are becoming increasingly blurred, and technology is becoming more integrated and network-based. This suggests that a broad technical profile that understands both sound, light, video and data will continue to be in demand. At the same time, sustainability and power consumption have more weight in the planning of large events — this too will become part of the technician's daily routine.
“As long as people want to gather to experience something live there's a need for someone to make the technology work.”