Creative Production & Technical Skills Project
Production & Technical Placement Bursary
Introduction
The Creative Production and Technical Skills (CPTS) project is a partnership between Creative &
Cultural Skills, the Federation of Scottish Theatre and the Scottish Drama Training Network. Its
purpose is to develop technical and production training, skills and career progression for the
performing arts, live events and wider creative industries in Scotland.
The CPTS project has four key strands; a schools engagement programme, a programme
aimed at further and higher education students; a series of supported apprenticeships and
the continuing professional development programme. It is the CPD element that the FST is
leading and it is this strand of the project which is responsible for the Production and
Technical Placement Bursary.
The CPTS Project has designated funding to assist with the professional development of
recent (having left formal education less than 2 years ago) technical and production
graduates of both further education and higher education. The bursary is designed to allow
professional organisations to host placement opportunities with the aim of developing the
graduate’s career progression through experience in the workplace. The placement should
offer the graduate the opportunity to develop the necessary skills and contacts to undertake
further work, providing a bridge from formal training to professional employment.
Programme
The Production and Technical Placement Bursary offers host organisations 85% funding to
engage graduates in a programme of work for up to 12 weeks. As a host organisation, you
must design a viable programme of work and learning within your current operations which
will allow a graduate to integrate within the professional environment. They should carry
out a sustainable role while being supervised by members of staff.
The FST does not hold a list of graduates interested in placements; it will be part of the host
organisation’s responsibility to source and recruit a suitable candidate. There is a project
specification below which outlines the key elements that we seek from potential
applications.
The placement may run for a minimum of 3 and maximum of 12 weeks full time equivalent.
Please note that typically awards are for 6-9 weeks but applications for up to 12 weeks will
be considered where there is a strong rationale for this amount of time. Please note
individuals may only receive one award and should not apply again.
CPTS Production & Technical Bursary
2013/14
Graduates may work in more than one role/department for the duration of their placement.
Weeks should run consecutively. Your placement may begin at any time after you have
received confirmation that your application was successful and you have recruited a suitable
candidate.
Application Process
If you are successful in your application to be a host, we would expect you to advertise the
placement on your company’s website, on the FST website, the Creative Choices ‘Jobs &
Opportunities’ Section (details below) and any other channels you may choose. We would
also expect you to apply your equal opportunities policy in managing the recruitment of this
role.
Criteria for the successful graduate (which should be included in your person specification):
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They must have completed their formal education in a technical or production skills
subject at FE or HE level
They should have graduated from a Scottish institution OR if elsewhere, they are
now based in Scotland and committed to Scottish theatre
They must have graduated less than 2 years from the start date of the proposed
placement
How to Apply
Please submit your proposal to the FST for consideration. The proposal should be a written
application in the form of a formal job title, job description and person specification for the
proposed role as well as a short statement supporting your proposal.
The proposal should demonstrate/include:
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Evidence of the host’s commitment to Scottish theatre
A strong reasoning for the placement with reference to how the host and graduate
will benefit from the experience
A clear outline of how the placement will work within the operations of the host
company
An brief outline of the roles and responsibilities for the host company and for the
graduate
A clear outline of what the graduate will be expected to achieve and learn from the
placement and how they will be supported during their time with the host company
A brief timeline for both the recruitment process and the placement, detailing when
you propose to begin the placement and how long it will last (this is flexible and can
be amended, however proposed placements should not start within 4 weeks of the
closing date)
Selection Process
The bursary has a rolling application process with no fixed deadline. Currently, we are able
to support placements taking place up until December 2016. Please be aware that we have
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a limited budget to cover the Production and Technical placements. If you wish to propose
a placement for late next year, we recommend you submit your proposal as soon as
possible.
Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of industry and education professionals and evaluated
against the criteria above. Please allow at least 2 weeks for your proposal to be considered.
We welcome applications from a range of host companies offering different and varied
opportunities.
Funding
A fixed sum of £350 per week* (tax free) will be paid to the successful graduate.
Host companies are required to make a commitment to contribute 15% (£52.50) of the total
bursary per week, for every week of the placement.
When you have completed your recruitment, you will be invoiced for the total contribution
for the duration of the placement. The total weekly amount will then be paid directly to the
graduate by FST on behalf of CPTS.
As the host, you will be responsible for any travel or accommodation expenses incurred by
your graduate, as well overtime payments for any additional hours they work in the course
of their placement.
This is an educational bursary and is therefore tax free.
(*this figure is comparable to Equity/BECTU/TMA minimum rates after tax)
Monitoring and Evaluation
At the end of your placement, we would encourage hosts to give us feedback about their
experience. We also encourage graduates to comment on their time with the host
company.
Advertising your Placement & the Creative Choices Website
The Creative Choices website is an online resource for people working in and wanting a
career in the creative industries. It is a hub of useful advice and support and an effective
platform to advertise training, jobs and learning opportunities. We are encouraging training
providers and placement hosts to use this site to post relevant jobs, placement details and
opportunities. It is free to use and is seen by almost 1.5 million people a year across the
creative industries.
Go to http://www.creative-choices.co.uk/jobs-opportunities for more information.
Crediting & Branding
CPTS Production & Technical Bursary
2013/14
This bursary is made available through the Creative Production & Technical Skills Project.
Please include the CPTS logo on any job adverts that are created for supported placements
and use this logo when posting details to the Creative Choices website. We would also ask
that the logo be used in the production programme of any piece worked on by the graduate,
with the line “supported by the Creative Production & Technical Skills Project” after their
name.
Application
Please send your completed proposal to emma.beatt@scottishtheatre.org
Please note that you should receive an email to acknowledge receipt of your proposal. If
you do not receive this, please contact the FST office.
To download the CPTS logo, please go to:
http://www.scottishtheatres.com/creative_production_and_technical_skills.php
If you have any queries and for more information please contact us on 0131 248 4842
CPTS Production & Technical Bursary
2013/14