The Backstage – European Junior Backstage Technicians: a framework of competences fostering European training and mobility.

The European Commission (Youth National Agency) has financed an important project for training youths as theatrical technicians, through the Erasmus+ Programme, KA2 Youth The European partnership leading “The Backstage” is composed out of three important organisations from Tuscany, Officine della Cultura, Rete Teatrale Aretina and OpenCom, 2 Organisations from Norway, Euromasc and NTIM, 1 Bulgarian organisation, BASD, and a German one, Förderagentur Beratungshaus.

The project aims to support labor market inclusion of European NEETs (youth Not in Employment, Education or Training) through a training path, that gives them a final certification as theatrical technicians. The new training methodology for Theatrical Technicians working in Small Theatres, meaning theatres with less than 300 seats, will be certified Europe wide and will bring an innovative way to facilitate labor market inclusion of NEETs.

Going into details, the project is focused on: a first research, finalised to create a target oriented learning outcomes; the definition of a Professional Curriculum and Qualification description following ECVET methodology (the European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training) with detailing of knowledge, skills and competences of the Theatrical Technician; the elaboration of training contents.

The E-learning platform will be realised accordingly and tested by a group of aspiring Technicians, who will also be part of the training experience in a European small theatre. At the end of educational and hands-on training experience, practitioners will receive the Europass Certificate, which will allow the European recognition of acquired knowledge, skills and competences.

Noteworthy is the creation of a European Database of Theatrical Technicians, which will assure the project sustainability and facilitate sectorial labour market matching in all Europe.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.