How I got to work at the National Theatre

Case study: Louise Belcher

East London Business Alliance placement 

Louise, who is 24 years old, is on a 6 month placement working in the Development Department, which raises funds from corporate and individual sponsors for the NT. She applied for the position through the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) which aims to implement long term positive change in East London through community, employment and legacy programmes. She works a 35 hour week, has a clear job description and outline of responsibilities, and is paid a salary.

What's been the highlight of your placement so far?

The placement has surpassed my expectations in so many ways. I just found out that a fundraising proposal I wrote for Discover's Primary Classics project for £5,000 was successful, which was brilliant and a definite highlight.

How did you feel about the NT before you worked here? Has this changed at all?

Before working here I came to see shows and was interested in theatre, but I didn't think I'd be good enough to get a job here. I saw the NT as being really high status and in a different league to me. I also didn't realise the diversity of positions available. There is a really good leaflet highlighting the different positions available within the arts industry that I got from Discover which really helps. Generally, I feel the title ‘National' (which I interpreted as ‘the best at what it does') may make young people like me feel inadequate to apply for a job here; they may not be aware that entry-level positions are available.

Now I feel at home here and that I have competent skills to apply for administrator jobs in arts organisations, given all the experience I've gained here. I encourage my friends to come, quite a few of them don't realise how open the theatre is and that you don't need to dress up, that it's really relaxed.

Would you have been able to come and work at the National if the position was unpaid?

Most definitely not! I could not even contemplate unpaid work on a full time basis.

In terms of your background what would have stopped you from applying for jobs at the National?

Where I have grown up and how I speak. So, fear of being judged by my class I guess. Not having enough experience (work wise and academically speaking). Probably, lack of access to the job adverts.

What have you noticed are the things we do really well, and the things we could do better at?

I feel the repertoire is really diverse in all aspects. Activities within the building are amazing especially free performances. Obviously, Watch This Space is brilliant!

I think once people come in they realise the NT has a really good range of activities and the diversity of Front of House staff is all really welcoming. The ‘National' in our title needs to be recognised as ‘Your' as is the dictionary definition: Of, relating to, or belonging to a nation as an organised whole.

For more information on ELBA go to their website http://www.elba-1.org.uk/

Case study: Nicholas McCarron

Discover Creative Apprentice

Nick McCarron, who is 20 years old, is on a one year apprenticeship working with the Discover Programme, which enables people of all ages to discover more about the National's work and the staff and artists who create it. He was first introduced to the NT after making a short film with Clapham Park Projects and Some Other Way Forward (SOWF). Through his success with the film he won a Street Genius placement at the NT working on a production for the Thames Festival, which led in turn to a paid placement working on New Connections, the National's nationwide new writing festival for young people; he's now on a Creative Apprenticeship working on a variety of projects with Discover, including Primary Classics, which pays him a salary. He works four days a week at the NT, and spends one day at college. 

What's been the highlight of your involvement with the NT so far?

Probably working on Connections because I got to visit so many venues outside London and I'd never had the chance to see much outside of London before that. I got to work with loads of young people and to see all the productions come together. I shadowed the NT's production managers Al Parkinson and Anna Anderson and I really enjoyed working with them. They were both great mentors. I got to see how technical and dress rehearsals are run, and learnt a lot about making theatre. Another key highlight was my mentor, Jen Fordham in Discover. Jen has now moved on to a job at the Lyric Hammersmith but she's still mentoring me and is getting me involved in talking to people at the Lyric.

How did you feel about the NT before you worked here? Has this changed at all?

Before working here the NT wasn't part of my life. I remember walking past one night and seeing the building all lit up and thinking it looked amazing. I thought I'd like to go in there, but I didn't until I started my placement. I guess I thought it was for posh people, and that because I wasn't well spoken and didn't dress in a certain way, I wouldn't fit in. My views have completely changed now I'm here. It's not at all how I thought it was. I'm now trying to get other people's views to change. It was War Horse that really drew me in. It was one of the first plays I saw here and I thought it was absolutely amazing and inspiring and made me want to get involved.

In terms of your background, what would have stopped you from applying for jobs at the National?

I just wouldn't have thought of it and I don't think I'd have had the skills without being given a chance through a training programme. I was working in Sainsbury's at the time and if this hadn't have happened I'd still be there. Now I feel confident about my CV and getting other jobs in theatre.

What have you noticed are the things we do really well, and the things we could do better at?

Once the audience is here I think the NT is very good at engaging them. But it seems like you need to be a theatre person in the first place to know the information to come here. Anything that looks at drawing in youth is important I think. So the Connections Festival and New Views are great, and more stuff like that would be good.