Young Technicians
Are you interested in lighting, sound, video and automation? Are you aged between 13–19? Then our technical theatre programme could be for you!
The National Theatre’s Young Technicians programme launched at our South Bank venue in 2017 and expanded into a hybrid Nationwide Young Technicians course in 2023.
Got a question about Young Techs? Get in touch.
Nationwide Young Technicians
The Nationwide Young Technicians programme offers an exciting opportunity to develop your skills and learn all about a variety of backstage and off-stage roles from top industry professionals.
This FREE course will take place in two parts:
- The first part of the course will be online on Tuesday evenings from 5-7pm, running from Tuesday 4 February to Tuesday 15 April 2025. In these workshops you’ll be introduced to the basics of technical theatre including lighting, sound and stages, through demonstrations and practical activities.
- After the online course, there will be the opportunity to continue developing your practical skills and knowledge with in-person workshops created, led and facilitated by our partner organisations HOME Manchester, Nottingham Playhouse and Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Course Dates 2025
Online Course Dates 2025
Tuesday 4 February 5-7pm
Tuesday 11 February 5-7pm
Tuesday 18 February 5-7pm
Tuesday 25 February 5-7pm
Tuesday 4 March 5-7pm
Tuesday 11 March 5-7pm
Tuesday 18 March 5-7pm
Tuesday 25 March 5-7pm
Tuesday 1 April 5-7pm
Tuesday 8 April 5-7pm
Tuesday 15 April 5-7pm
(These sessions will take place on Zoom)
Partner venue dates:
HOME Manchester: Wednesday 16 April & Thursday 17 April
Nottingham Playhouse: Sunday 13 April & Monday 14 April
Theatre Royal Plymouth: TBC
This opportunity is for young people aged 13 – 19. To take part in the hybrid programme opportunity, you must live within Greater Manchester, the East Midlands or South Devon and Cornwall. You must also be able to commit to all the dates in the programme from February – April 2025.
If you do not live in these areas and would like to take part in the programme, you can apply to join the digital sessions only.
Applications for Nationwide Young Technicians 2025 are now closed.
Recruitment
We are furthering our commitment to diversity and access by concentrating recruitment in these areas that we recognise are currently underrepresented in the field of technical theatre:
- Young people who identify as Female, Trans and/or Non-Binary;
- Young people from the Global majority;
- Young people from working class backgrounds; and
- Young people who identify as D/deaf or disabled.
No prior experience in the industry is needed to join our Young Technicians programme, just a passion for theatre.
Young Technicians 2024
Young Technicians offers an exciting opportunity to develop technical skills, discover routes into the industry and learn from top industry professionals about sound, lighting and stages. In weekly workshops you will be introduced to the basics of technical theatre through demonstrations and practical activities.
This opportunity takes place at the National Theatre on the South Bank in London, and therefore we aim to offer and prioritise places to those based in London, or who can travel to London easily and safely throughout the programme.
This project is free to take part in and access support and travel bursaries are available to those in the Greater London area.
Date: every Tuesday evening from 10 September – 17 December 2024
Workshop: 5pm – 8pm
Location: All sessions will take place at the National Theatre, London
Please note: You must be able to attend the full course to take part. As part of the course, you will receive a free ticket to watch an evening performance at the National Theatre. This opportunity is for young people aged 14 – 18.
Applications for Young Technicians are now closed.
What participants say:
Anna, 17
I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have completed the [Young Technicians] course, for the resources provided to us.
I also feel super grateful that this opportunity has helped me get involved with HOME theatre. As following on from the two sessions there, we were given the opportunity to shadow a production, which was great experience.
Zara, 16
It has been pretty difficult to find work experience available for people under the age of 18. I think [Young Technicians] has been a great way to sort of kickstart going into the industry and gave me more confidence to ask, to be able to then get more work experience.
Having a course where you’re taught things by professionals and having specific people coming in, it was definitely key in moving forward in this sort of career path.
Camila, 15
[Young Technicians] really helped me understand what actually goes on. It was long enough for me to actually remember it.
It also helped me with improving making friends. You can talk to people, then you know them, and your communication skills just improve.
Our funders
Young People’s Programmes are supported by Bank of America, The Maurice Hatter Foundation and the Richard Radcliffe Trust. With thanks to the MAP Fund.
Creative Careers enabled by TikTok.
The Mohn Westlake Foundation supports nationwide Learning programmes for young people.
Nationwide learning is supported by Buffini Chao Foundation, Clore Duffield Foundation, Tim & Sarah Bunting, MFPA Trust Fund for the Training of Disabled Children in the Arts, Behrens Foundation, Cleopatra Trust, and The Andor Charitable Trust.
Find out more about supporting our work
Contact us
Carmel Macaree
Project Manager, Young Technicians
You can contact the Young Technicians team on skillscentre@nationaltheatre.org.uk.
Photos © Belinda Lawley & Dom Moore
National Theatre Young Technicians, 2023
Header image: Shut Up, I’m Dreaming set designed by Peter Butler
More to explore
An Introduction to Stage Management
Our Introduction to Stage Management course introduces you to the basics of being a stage manager, and takes place at the National Theatre every year.
Apprenticeships
Start your career at the National Theatre with our backstage apprenticeships programme.
Connections
You can gain hands-on technical experience if your school or youth group takes part in Connections, our annual national youth drama festival.