Chris’ first six months on the job were really beneficial and he felt immersed in the inner workings of a receiving house. He said, “I got to work on a multitude of different kinds of productions, big and small, and I loved it! I developed skills and knowledge from many departments that I wouldn’t have even thought possible during those early days as a casual technician. I was even lucky enough to have my own desk in a shared office!”

Despite Covid-19, Chris has managed to continue his apprenticeship with the use of online learning and further reading, and has been well supported by colleagues, industry bodies and his NCCI tutors who have been available to address any concerns he may have and support his progress.

Despite the obvious impact of Covid-19 on the theatre and the wider creative industries, Chris is an advocate for continued professional development as a way of staying true to your craft, learning and adapting to a familiar, yet also unfamiliar landscape. Chris said, “I feel like earning and learning really works and I would recommend anyone thinking of undertaking an apprenticeship or getting into technical theatre to do so, it has changed my life considerably for the better!”