This year marked the ninth edition of Enterprise @ The Rep, an incredible and intensive two-day work experience opportunity for young people in the Tayside area.

73 pupils (the highest number yet) from Dundee, Angus and Fife took part this year. All the pupils had to complete an application process to be considered for the opportunity, including a personal statement for why they should be selected and what their department preference was. The successful young people were then set research tasks in preparation for participating in the jam packed two days.

On Thursday 7th December all the pupils came together for the first time at the Rep. They were given an introduction and had the opportunity to get to know one-another through ice-breakers before being split into teams, which covered every department needed to put on a performance showcase; Acting, Costume, Creative Learning, Dance, Directing, Lighting, Marketing, Scenic Design, Sound and Stage Management.

Over Thursday and Friday these teams worked together to put on a showcase performance on the Friday evening. In two days the young people

  • directed and performed an extract from A Christmas Carol (the Rep’s current performance,)
  • choreographed and incorporated a dance into the performance,
  • sourced, altered and fitted costume for all the actors and dancers,
  • designed and implemented a sound and light design for the performance
  • safely and effectively managed the showcase and all involved
  • designed and created a poster and a radio advertisement for the production,
  • delivered two workshops to community groups about the performance
  • created a short film about the project and its impact on the young people.

On the Friday evening family, school staff and a selected audience were invited to watch the showcase. We saw the extract performed and then heard from almost every team talking about their experiences; what they did and how, as well as the impact it has had on them. We also got to watch the incredible short film which illustrates exactly how much hard work the young people put into the two days, and how much they get from the experience.

The young people had experiences and learnt skills specific to their department; i.e. the marketing team gained interviewing, editing and photography experience, as well as getting the opportunity to visit a printer and see their poster come to life, and spend time at Tay FM and learn how to create a radio advert. The scenic designers and costumiers used maths (including scaling) in real life situations. The sound and light designers learnt planning and how to use the board.

All of the young people also gained much needed soft skills, which are transferable to any position, industry or career.

  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Working to deadlines (including scheduling)
  • Working in a team, and specifically with new people and how to overcome the awkwardness that accompanies it
  • Taking responsibility for personal learning and the work of the team
  • Research and analysis
  • Public speaking
  • Incorporating corporate values into your work
  • Taking an idea from conception to completion
  • Confidence

The creative industries are often overlooked as careers, for a variety of reasons. Enterprise @ The Rep highlights just how many opportunities, pathways and progression prospects are available in Scotland’s creative industries. This is particularly true in Dundee where creative roles are playing a key part in the transformation of the city. Enterprise gives young people the chance to learn and experience a taste of working in the creative industries and can help them determine if this is something they seriously want to pursue after education. Even if they chose not to follow this path, the skills they have gained from their experience are invaluable in whatever path they choose. The young people themselves said at the showcase that the experience was “Important and fun.”

 

Please follow the links throughout this article to learn more about Enterprise @ The Rep. This is an incredible piece of work that takes tremendous planning and effort from the staff at Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre, but the impact is immeasurable and it is a vital piece of Developing the Young Workforce work.