Specialties and ways forward in the trade
Theatre technician, event technician, and AV technician
The education can be completed at a basic level or with a specialization that points you in a specific direction. The choice determines which workplaces and tasks typically become yours—but in practice it is common to work across specializations.
§Theatre technician
As a theatre technician you work close to the stage in theatres and performance venues. You are responsible for setup stage mechanics lighting and sound for productions and help bring the director's and set designer's ideas to life night after night.
§Event Technician
As an event technician you work with concerts festivals conferences and trade fairs. There are often two directions: a sound-oriented path and a light-oriented path. You set up and tear down in many different locations and must be able to adapt to new spaces all the time.
§AV Technician
As an AV technician you work more with fixed installations: sound, image and video in meeting rooms, classrooms, museums and shops. You dimension, install and programme solutions so they just work for those who need to use them every day.
| Specialty | Typical workplaces | The core of the work |
|---|---|---|
| Theatre technician | Theatres, venues | Scene lighting and sound for performances |
| Event Technician (audio) | Concerts, festivals, conferences | Audio systems and playback |
| Event Technician (lighting) | Concerts, festivals, shows | Light design and programming |
| AV Technician | Meeting rooms, museums, shops | Fixed installations in sound and image. |
§What makes you valuable
Regardless of speciality, it is the same strengths that make you in demand: you are reliable under pressure, you plan well, you work safely, and you can talk to both artists and customers. The technique can be learned — it is the routine and composure that takes time.