If you’re a regular follower of my Twitter feed, you’ll know that I deliver workshops to young people in many schools, colleges, universities and youth groups across the UK. Theatrical, media and special effects makeup is not only an exciting subject but it’s engaging and educational and forms a part of exam modules in Performing Arts and Technical Theatre at A Level as well as being a stand-alone subject at BTEC and Degree Level. Many colleges also offer the VTCT – a qualification from the Vocational Training Charitable Trust, a specialist organisation offering vocational and technical qualifications in a range of service sectors.
With the introduction of the new T Level in the UK, the subject is becoming ever more popular with young people. If you’re not familiar with the T-Level, is a qualification which will allow 16 to 19-year-olds to study in 15 sectors in subjects like hair and beauty or construction. The Government’s aim is to have teenagers "work fit" in a number of key industries which will help bolster the UK's workforce after Brexit (Britain's exit from the European Union). The government describes its plans as the "biggest overhaul of post-school education in 70 years". Young people who decide to study a technical T-level will spend 50 per cent longer learning than they do at the moment, equalling 900 hours of teaching a year. It is likely T-levels will be taught in college rather than school. They will be developed and phased in between 2018 and 2022.
So it is no surprise that I have been asked to go into more educational establishments than ever, not to work with the students, but to train the staff as part of their Continuing Professional Development and enable them to teach the modules involved within the relevant exam criteria. I’ve just returned from working with the very talented staff at Oracle Training Consultancy Ltd in Doncaster where I delivered a brief two-day introduction to SFX and Theatrical Makeup, enabling the staff to feel confident in delivering up to date teaching methods and techniques using the correct and latest products and materials on the market whilst learning from a professional working within the film, tv and theatre industries. We discussed which areas they would like to cover, the materials they would like to familiarise themselves with and worked at a relaxed pace in an informal but professional setting.
Check out my WORKSHOPS/SCHOOLS page on my website or drop me an email at theatricalmakeupartist@gmail.com
