Rules, legislation and certificates in the subject
Regulation, safety rules and the documents you will need
The craft here lies at the intersection of technology, people, and large events. Therefore there are both rules about the training itself and rules about how the work may be performed when you're faced with the tasks in reality.
§The education itself is regulated
Vocational education as a theatre, event and AV technician is set out in a regulation — i.e. an official set of rules that describes the purpose of the education, its stages and specialisations and the objectives you must achieve along the way. The regulation stems from legislation on vocational education and it is the professional committee for the area that helps keep the content up to date with what the industry needs.
§The rules in the work itself
When you stand at a concert or fair the regular rules for working environment and safety at a workplace apply — even though the workplace today is a festival site and tomorrow a theatre stage. It's especially about working safely with electricity lifting and rigging heavy equipment at height and with large amounts of audience.
- 01Electrical safety: you work with electricity and must not perform work that requires authorization you don't have.
- 02Rigging and lifting at height: hanging audio and lighting over people's heads is safety-critical work
- 03Fire and evacuation: in assembly halls there are rules for escape routes, smoke and pyrotechnics
§Electricity and license — know the limit.
As a technician you connect equipment to power daily but there is a limit to what electrical work requires authorisation. Certain tasks — for example fixed electrical installations — may only be performed by or under an authorised electrician. As a technician it is therefore important you know the difference between what you can do yourself and what requires an authorised professional.
§Courses and certificates that often come with
Beyond the journeyman certificate itself many in the industry get a number of shorter courses and proofs because they are necessary for specific tasks. Which you get depends on your speciality and your workplace.
- 01First aid, so you can act correctly if someone is injured
- 02Safety when working at height and with rigging
- 03Any driving license or other documents if you need to drive and transport equipment
“Most of it is about knowing what you can do yourself — and when you need to get a professional.”