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Original poster

Any music careers/ DJing advice please or where to find it? Post college options for DS 17.

21 replies

DSadviceplease · 23/08/2023 17:19

Hi. I wasn’t sure where best to put this but will try here first for a wider audience. My DS has never been particularly academic. He was diagnosed late (year 10) as dyslexic and so struggled in some regards but was always supported and encouraged hugely with his studies at home and did well in his GCSEs. It’s worth saying here we adopted DS and for us his well-being and mental health were paramount growing up-we just wanted him to be happy and settled and do his best. We were therefore over the moon with both his relaxed but hard-working approach to his exams, especially after covid, and with his results. He was certain he didn’t want to do A levels which was absolutely fine by us, and reluctantly (because he couldn’t think of anything else) applied to do an engineering course. When we went to enrol, the people who ran the course said they had never had anyone with such high results doing the course, which whilst it was great to hear, made DS (and us a little) worry that it wouldn’t be the right course for him after all.
We had to have a rethink and literally walked out of the college to chat it over in a café. Before we got there, DS said ‘There is this other course I would LOVE to do mum’, and described a Level 3 extended diploma in the nearest city. He had taken up DJing over the last couple of years and was loving it. He phoned the college, we went that afternoon and he enrolled. He absolutely loves it and is thriving! He won and award for the ‘shining star’ of the course and got his official year one result last week-distinction star! I didn’t even know that was a thing! I’m so so proud of him but the problem is, he has no idea what to do next and I have no idea how to advise him! I only know academic routes really so want to advise him correctly but don’t know how. College isn’t great with careers advice really!

So what can/ should he do with a (hopefully really good grade in) Level 3 extended diploma in Music production? He is currently doing some DJing on the side and running some events of his own. He’d love to do something related but also knows he needs to have a career with prospects. Does he need to go to uni? Should he go to uni with those grades even though he doesn’t know what to study? Should he study music production at uni? Would it get Jim any further? What are his career options with/without uni for this course?

If he were to move away from music (but of course continue it himself), he would be interested in a trade I think.

I just don’t know how to advise him or where to send him for advice. Anyone? Thank you so much in advance!

OP posts:
WhisperingHi · 23/08/2023 17:28

University isn't the be all and end all and if he's not sure what he wants to do, it's an expensive option for him right now. Perhaps he can park that idea until he has a clearer view on what he enjoys and where he could see himself. Open university do some excellent courses for far less of a cost.

Could you afford for him to do an unpaid internship? Is it purely music production he's interested in, or also sound production (as in other forms of media)? Do the BBC have any internships he could apply for? Do you live near to London?

I'm surprised one comment from the engineering tutor put you all off so quickly. Engineering is a fantastic subject to provide base competencies that can transfer to many jobs and industries. I think that's a safer bet than going into a trade where work can dry up quickly, no pension, no options should you become disabled in anyway, it's often difficult getting paid and chasing up debts and builders etc can be brutal. Are there any specific trades he's interested in?

If he does the engineering course and finds himself top of the class, isn't that a good thing?

Original poster
DSadviceplease · 23/08/2023 17:34

WhisperingHi · 23/08/2023 17:28

University isn't the be all and end all and if he's not sure what he wants to do, it's an expensive option for him right now. Perhaps he can park that idea until he has a clearer view on what he enjoys and where he could see himself. Open university do some excellent courses for far less of a cost.

Could you afford for him to do an unpaid internship? Is it purely music production he's interested in, or also sound production (as in other forms of media)? Do the BBC have any internships he could apply for? Do you live near to London?

I'm surprised one comment from the engineering tutor put you all off so quickly. Engineering is a fantastic subject to provide base competencies that can transfer to many jobs and industries. I think that's a safer bet than going into a trade where work can dry up quickly, no pension, no options should you become disabled in anyway, it's often difficult getting paid and chasing up debts and builders etc can be brutal. Are there any specific trades he's interested in?

If he does the engineering course and finds himself top of the class, isn't that a good thing?

Thanks very much. He never wanted to do engineering. It was me trying to push him towards something ‘sensible’ but was never where his heart was. It was a level 2 course and there was no level 3 which would have suited him much more. Ideally he would have done the T level course but it was too academic for him having just struggled through GCSEs. Has he done the engineering course it just wouldn’t have been for him and I know he wouldn’t be on for a distinction star in a subject he never had any passion for in the first place.

He would be interested in sound production definitely and although we’re not close to London, we are close enough to Manchester for the media side of things to be an option. It’s just what he should do next year really we need to be thinking about.

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

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17 years old Primary education Secondary education
Comefromaway · 23/08/2023 17:39

As well as the courses listed above look at Salford & Huddersfield.

there are a couple of places I specifically haven’t recommended too.

RightHereRightNowish · 23/08/2023 17:42

I used to work in a recording studio. The best people we had did the type of course your son has then went and got themselves internships and jobs as runners. Eventually they built up and I now see a good number of them are engineers in their own right, working on chart topping records.

University was not a requirement when I was in the business (granted 9 years ago now).

Obviously it depends on where you live as to the opportunities available - this was London.

titchy · 23/08/2023 17:44

Comefromaway · 23/08/2023 17:39

As well as the courses listed above look at Salford & Huddersfield.

there are a couple of places I specifically haven’t recommended too.

I came on to say Salford and Huddersfield too! Grin

Original poster
DSadviceplease · 23/08/2023 17:47

Comefromaway · 23/08/2023 17:33

Fabulous, thank you very much! Can I ask which ones you specifically haven’t recommended and the reasons? This is so helpful.

OP posts:
Oldraver · 23/08/2023 17:50

Had he looked at Lisa Lashes School of Music ?

Oldraver · 23/08/2023 17:51

www.lisalashesschoolofmusic.com/

Rummikub · 23/08/2023 17:53

Salford uni do a great audio production course. They recruit from a range of backgrounds.

Well done to your ds OP. He has done fantastically well.

Ash the college about what careers provision they have. They should be providing it.

Comefromaway · 23/08/2023 17:54

I’ve never heard of it but OP’s son will be above the level of the courses they seem to offer.

Flockameanie · 23/08/2023 17:58

Is suggest he looks for entry-level or internship roles at sound recording / music recording studios.

Comefromaway · 23/08/2023 17:58

Rummikub · 23/08/2023 17:53

Salford uni do a great audio production course. They recruit from a range of backgrounds.

Well done to your ds OP. He has done fantastically well.

Ash the college about what careers provision they have. They should be providing it.

i loved Salford. It was ds’s insurance choice (slightly different course).

sadly in our experience the advice from the colleges can be woeful. At ds’s college lots go to one of 2-3 places who are not very selective but do lots of marketing.

Comefromaway · 23/08/2023 18:03

RightHereRightNowish · 23/08/2023 17:42

I used to work in a recording studio. The best people we had did the type of course your son has then went and got themselves internships and jobs as runners. Eventually they built up and I now see a good number of them are engineers in their own right, working on chart topping records.

University was not a requirement when I was in the business (granted 9 years ago now).

Obviously it depends on where you live as to the opportunities available - this was London.

To a certain extent Ds is using Uni to fund being able to live in a city where he can meet people who can give him these opportunities.

He’s making tracks for a studio for example for someone who he met there.

Original poster
DSadviceplease · 23/08/2023 18:04

NeverDropYourMooncup · 23/08/2023 18:00

What about BIMM?

https://www.bimm.ac.uk/manchester/

https://www.bimm.ac.uk/music-production/

Get some gigging and/or rehearsal/recording studio experience in the meantime and he's a great candidate.

Thank you! He’s done plenty of gigs and run a couple of his own events with other DJs, and spends a lot of time in studios. He’d be in his element if he could continue his music and I’d it could open some doors to some ‘serious’ day jobs too that would be amazing.

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 23/08/2023 18:11

For transparency my Ds is at Leeds Conservatoire. We know people at BIMM, LIPA, Salford, Waterbear & ACM. He discounted Huddersfield as he didn’t like the town even though the course was great.

Original poster
DSadviceplease · 23/08/2023 19:56

Thanks again all! Any experience/knowledge of spirit studios?

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 23/08/2023 20:30

I’ve heard of them but don’t know anyone who went there/haven’t really heard much of them industry wise. However although Ds started off looking at music production he quickly moved towards performance so production only places were not really on our radar.

Comefromaway · 23/05/2024 12:57

Just wondered if there is an update on how your ds is doing?

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