Australia’s Technical Direction Company (TDC) has introduced a new training and support initiative to support students and graduates across theatre and live production courses.
Students and graduates of the VET (Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services) and BFA (Technical Theatre and Stage Management) courses at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney will receive support from TDC, in the form of practical experience with a variety of technologies and entertainment industry best practice.
The BFA is a 15-month course that focuses mostly on practical experience with theory and art modules thrown in. With the events industry – which was once worth A$36bn (£21bn/$24bn/€25bn) – returning after the pandemic in Australia, TDC highlights the need for strengthened training and development to generate new talent and business opportunities across the live production sector.
Graham Henstock, director of the Centre for Technology, Production and Management at NIDA, said: “TDC is one of NIDA’s major partners. TDC regularly provides us with teaching assistance, technical expertise, and access to video equipment for live performance. TDC supports an annual scholarship for a student. TDC’s valued support has allowed all our students to learn and experience technology and new ways of working that wouldn’t otherwise be accessible.”
Drew Ferors, technical manager at TDC, added: “We’ve seen some wonderful, refreshing and creative applications of technology from some genius minds who are so eager to learn – some methods even we haven’t discovered or experimented with yet.
“TDC delivers technical training to graduates and new recruits using a classroom-based environment with support and assessments developed in-house by TDC giving further access to the best entertainment technology and expertise to develop skills long after graduation.”
TDC also sponsors a NIDA VET student each year to help with their studies.
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