The Academy took many enquiries for its Foundation Degree in Live Events Production, for which there are still places for this November. It also had a lot of interest from overseas companies wanting training delivered in their home country.
Said sales & business development manager Sara Gleadhall, "What was surprising this year was the number of enquiries we had from companies and professionals abroad who are desperate for us to take our training overseas.
"We are currently looking at developing packages of training in essential backstage skills and certificates to deliver in foreign countries."
The Academy launched a student competition to win a week's work experience on the set build of a major touring artist at its affiliated company LS-Live, which runs until 8 October. See web address below.
The 1st prize will be announced by Lighting & Sound I*nternational in their October issue and the lucky winner will also gain a 50% voucher off a Short Course or Career Course at Backstage Academy.
The 2nd prize, in conjunction with Jigsaw Systems, is an iPod and a 10% voucher off a Short Course or Career Course. There are 25 3rd prizes to be won, which are 10% off vouchers for the above selection of courses.
Backstage Academy runs a series of Short Courses throughout the year in disciplines such as Rigging, Stage Pyrotechnics, Event Safety Passport (SPA), Equipment Suspension & Rigging, Manual Handling, Working with Electricity and Practical Fire Safety.
Its Career Courses are month-long programmes that happen on one month of the year, and combined form the modules on its Foundation Degree in Live Events Production. Career Courses include Live Sound, Live Visuals, Introduction to Working in Live Events Production, Lighting, 3D Technologies, Contemporary Issues in Live Events and Staging.
(Jim Evans)
