Features

Thurrock's Creative Careers Fair - A great success

Thurrock’s young people head for career success on and offstage ...

On 12 March, young people from schools and colleges all over Thurrock took part in a unique Creative Careers Fair at Lakeside shopping centre.

Organised by Thurrock Learning Partnership, the Royal Opera House and Arts Council East, the Fair was designed to give youngsters an insight into the many careers that are available backstage, skilled roles that are essential to supporting theatrical and live music performances.

Specialists were on hand with advice, and the young people took part in practical activities that included theatrical make-up, costume, lighting and set-design. The Fair culminated in an informal performance by students from Palmer’s College that drew a huge crowd from the Lakeside shoppers. The students took to the specially designed stage alongside Keel Watson, an opera singer from the Royal Opera House, and pianist Jonathan Gayle.

The young people who took part during the day came from schools and colleges in Thurrock that are already working with the ROH Education Department. In the run up to the Fair, students from Palmer’s College worked with ROH Education to plan the activities, design the layout and create backdrops and sets for the performance.

Live music and performing arts contribute billions of pounds to the UK economy every year, but great performances need great technicians and backstage staff, and there is a growing shortage of skilled workers to fill these roles. Thanks to a series of exceptional opportunities, Thurrock is fast becoming a centre of excellence for education, training and production in the creative sector. There has never been a better time for young people to develop their skills for successful careers behind the scenes of some of the world’s most prestigious stages.

The Royal Opera House Production Park, due to open in Purfleet in 2009, and the multi-million campus being opened by the Thurrock Learning Consortium are creating a world-class infrastructure for work and training.

The relocation of the Royal Opera House’s set and scenery building facilities to the Production Park will also enable the Royal Opera House to expand its training and youth apprenticeship programme and continue to play a central role in providing education opportunities to the local community.

It is anticipated that the Production Park will become home to a new National Skills Academy for the Creative and Cultural Sector. This, combined with the new courses that South East Essex College and partners will be introducing, following their successful bid to the Learning and Skills Council’s open competition at the end of last year, will open up unprecedented opportunities for young people from this are to train and work in this sector.

Angie Ridgewell, Chief Executive of Thurrock Council said:

“We were delighted with the success of this unique collaborative event in Thurrock. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to gain an insight into what goes on behind the scenes to enable ‘the show to go on’ and find out about the opportunities available for them to gain new knowledge and skills.

“With the opening of the Royal Opera House Production pPark in 2009, and the related work that is happening to support it, Thurrock is set to become a centre of excellence for technical skills and training in backstage crafts, this Creative Careers Fair was just the start”

Paul Reeve, Education Director, Royal Opera House said:

"The Creative Careers Fair in Lakeside, Thurrock was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the variety of backstage opportunities available to students considering their training and career options. We hope that the students who took part gained a real taste for some of the skills and crafts required backstage in a theatre or live entertainment venue, and as a result might think seriously about a career in the creative industries.

“We were very excited to work on this project with Thurrock Learning Partnership and Arts Council East.  We’re also delighted that Thurrock students have been closely involved in researching, designing and building the theatrical installation that transformed the Central Atrium in Lakeside during the Fair.  We look forward to the continued success of our relationship with Thurrock and its residents.”

Royal Opera House

In 2009, the Royal Opera House will relocate its production workshop to a brand new purpose-built facility in Purfleet, Thurrock. It will be sited on the Royal Opera House Production Park, a national centre of excellence for technical production skills in the live music and performing arts’ sectors. The Creative Careers Fair is part of the Royal Opera House’s ongoing community engagement programme in Thurrock, showcasing the backstage careers on offer within the creative industries with a particular focus on technical skills like carpentry, set-building, scenic painting, theatrical make-up, costume and wig making.

Royal Opera House website

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The Royal Opera House working with Thurrock

12 October 2007

This was an amazing evening for The Royal Opera and ROH Education and Thurrock students and teachers.

ROH Education

On Friday 12 October, ROH Education was delighted to welcome 150 students and staff, who are engaged in the current Thurrock education programme to attend the student standby performance of Das Rheingold.

This opera has been selected as a starting point to inspire a large ‘site specific’ education project to take place at the Tilbury Cruise Terminal in June 2008.

At present 250 participants from Thurrock and Basildon College, two primary schools and the Thurrock Youth offending team are working on design ideas for storylines and a stage set which will be constructed in the New Year. Once the set designs are complete, local performing arts groups in the region will be invited to animate the stage set as part of a 2008 Tilbury cruise terminal summer event.

The Tilbury Cruise Terminal Baggage Hall

First go at making a model box

Thanks to all in-house departments, performers and volunteers who have contributed to our visits from Thurrock students so far.

These visits have brought the project participants to the Opera House and experience many of its backstage departments as well as Ring Cycle story telling and performances by the Jette Parker Young Artists.

Students from Thurrock receive a talk from Geoff Wheel in the main auditorium

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Opening of new Wella Centre of Excellence Salon at Thurrock & Basildon College

24 October 2007

Top celebrity hairstylist, Patrick Cameron opened the new, re-modelled Visage Hairdressing Salon at the Woodview Campus, Grays of Thurrock & Basildon College.

The salon, like its counterpart at the Nethermayne Campus in Basildon is a Wella Centre of Excellence offering students the very latest in hairdressing facilities.

Declaring the new facility open alongside Patrick was Thurrock Mayor Diane Revell and her husband Michael, borough councillor for education, and College Principal Denise Fielding.

The people in the photo are as follows: From left to right - model Tracey with Thurrock Mayor Diane Revell, super-stylist Patrick Cameron and College Principal, Denise Fielding.  

If you are interested any of the courses on offer at Thurrock & Basildon College including courses at the Eastgate Learning Centre, contact the Hotline: 0845 601 5746 or visit the College website: www.TAB.ac.uk

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Adult Learners’ Week Regional Awards Ceremony

Wednesday 23 May 2007

Thurrock Learning Partnership was delighted to host the NIACE East of England Adult Learners’ Week Regional Awards Ceremony.

This was the first time the event had been held in Thurrock and we were delighted when Martina Cole, best selling author from Thurrock, agreed to be our celebrity guest.  All of Martina’s books have been in the best selling lists.  Last year her book “Close” was the best selling hardback and this year it went straight into No. 1 in the best selling list when it came out in paperback.

We had a fantastic turnout with some 160 people attending from across the region and the event received accolades galore from all who attended.  The fact that our planned venue, Orsett Hall, burnt down just over a week before the event, and we had somewhat of a manic time re-arranging everything, did not deter us or prevent it from being a thoroughly enjoyable and inspirational event.

Martina Cole was wonderful with all our winners and very generous with her time and the winners were thrilled with the photographs taken of them receiving their awards from her.

Please click on the thumbnail photos below for a larger image.

	Gemma Smith from Thurrock Gemma gave an inspirational speech on how much it had meant to her to win an award last year.
	Colleen and Nicola from Thurrock They have successfully set up their own business after building up their skills and confidence at Thurrock Adult Community College.
	Nesisa came to England a year ago After attending our BBC RaW Story Telling Festival in January took her courage in her hands and joined an ESOL class at Thurrock Adult Community College, now speaks very good English and is keen to carry on learning.  Looking back now, she finds it hard to believe that she nearly did not go to her first class she was so scared.
	Sarah Williams Sarah has continuously studied whilst working full-time and has built her skills up to the level where she has achieved a Foundation Degree in E-Skills.  What made her a special student at Thurrock & Basildon College was the way she worked with other students to encourage them and planned activities so that the class became a real community.

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