06.01.2023: UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin has welcomed Music Academic Partnership (MAP) member Access Creative College’s new music industry apprenticeship.

Access Creative College (ACC) – a member of UK Music’s MAP scheme, which is a collaboration between educational institutions and the membership of UK Music, is the first training provider to deliver the newly established Assistant Recording Technician apprenticeship.

The Assistant Recording Technician apprenticeship is funded by the apprenticeship levy transfer. It is designed to meet the staff development needs of employers, and support employees as they progress in their careers.

This apprenticeship will be delivered in partnership with Pirate, who run studio spaces for creative people. The apprenticeships will upskill their site managers and provide artists with greater technical support throughout their global studio network.

UK Music played a key role in the development of this apprenticeship, working with CC Skills and ScreenSkills to develop new standards for the music industry.  Find out more here.

UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said: 

“UK Music is really pleased to see our valued Music Academic Partnership member Access Creative College launch the first cohort of Assistant Recording Technician apprentices with Pirate.

“The apprenticeship was developed to offer an alternative and accessible route into this exciting career and it’s great to see it get off the ground. We want to thank ACC for working so hard to get the delivery underway and all the members of the Trailblazer group who developed it. We look forward to seeing it grow in the coming years and wish the first cohort of students all the best as they take their first steps in joining our exciting industry.”

Access Creative College Chief Executive Jason Beaumont said: 

“Working in partnership with industry innovators like Pirate just shows that apprenticeships have a place in the music industry, not just those entering the sector but those working within it.

“We are acutely aware of the challenges the industry faces, in terms of the skills gap, recruitment and retention and it’s partnerships like this that will help address these issues and help develop a highly skilled workforce to fuel future sector growth.”

Pirate Vice-President of People Ashlee Campbell said: 

“As our network of studios grows, it’s important the personality of each site is reflected in the space we operate. By employing site managers, we can cater to the different needs of our users in each region, and this partnership will enable us to make sure they are up-to-speed on the latest innovations in technology and technique being adopted in the industry to support artists using our studios.

“For us, this partnership will be a fundamental part of our staff development, ensuring we help our employees in their current roles, and beyond, as their careers progress.”

The first cohort to enrol on the new apprenticeship will start their training in November, with a second enrolment commencing in February 2023.

You can find out more about the Music Academic Partnership (MAP) here.