National Skills Academy
Sussex Downs College celebrates with the Knight Crew
Sussex Downs College is now a founder member of the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills (NSA). Dr John Blake, Principal and Chief Executive from Sussex Downs College was presented with a plaque from David Pickard, General Manager from Glyndebourne at the first performance of Knight Crew to mark the official announcement .
Above: (From left to right) Dick Holste, Dr John Blake, David Pickard and the Knight Crew
The presentation was made at Glyndebourne, in front of invited guests from industry and the education sector. The group discussed how the creative diploma is developing within the NSA network. They also attended the first performance of Knight Crew, a new youth opera for young people with 18 talented Sussex Downs College students in the choir and orchestra.
See: Video of the students performing at Glyndebourne (Sussex Express website)
The National Skills Academy is developing a network of creative and cultural employers, organisations, training providers and industry trade associations with the aim to improve skills development opportunities for those entering the sector. Sussex Downs College is at the core of this training network in the South East.
James Poulter, Creative and Media College Manager said: “Sussex Downs College is proud to be a founder college. We are looking forward to working with local employers’ to help ensure training leads to real jobs. As a college we already provide a range of outstanding performing arts courses and we aim to develop new learning opportunities working in partnership with venues and other specialist companies supporting the industry.”
Careers Day at The Theatre Royal in Brighton
The National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills’ staged its first Offstage Choices careers event with a difference by taking the lid off the Theatre Royal Brighton on Friday 20th November.
Offstage Choices is a careers event with a difference. It is and informative, fun and hands-on and gives a practical insight into the wide range of jobs available behind the scenes and offstage in technical theatre and live music events.
While at the Theatre Royal Brighton, the students met and experienced the work of a number of professionals including lighting and sound technicians, stage managers, and those working in marketing and front-of-house. All these people shared their tricks of the trade and offered the young people the chance to experience working out of the spotlight.
Students found out what kind of education and training opportunities they could consider by talking to arts professionals about the industry.
The day was organised in partnership with Sussex Downs College a Founder College of the National Skills Academy.
Right: Students at the Offstage Choices event at the Theatre Royal
What is the National Skills Academy?
The National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills (NSA) was established in 2008 with the initial aim of putting employers within the offstage industries of technical theatre and live music event production in control of their training needs; what trainees learn, how they learn and where.
Find out more about the National Skills Academy.
