ABTT Courses Information

The ABTT offers a wide range of practical Technical Courses each year covering various topics. Our courses are designed to ensure that the candidates develop both their practical skill set as well as understanding the regulations and health and safety requirements behind them. This combination of practical and theoretical work ensures that a through understanding of the material and how to apply it in a day to day role is achieved. These courses are scheduled throughout the year in Glasgow, Manchester, Warwick and London. However, if these locations are not suited, we also run “in-venue” training courses at your preferred location. This can be in the UK or abroad as we have previously done "in venue" training in HongKong and Kuala Lumpar.

The Bronze week was extremely beneficial for my team. They learned a lot, and the teaching was both effective and directly applicable to all of our working practices. It was, I think, the best and most effective in-service training that I have been able to arrange for my staff, ever.

Our Courses:

To find details about course content and costs please scroll down this page and click on the relevant training course to find out more.

To find out WHEN the next courses are running, please check on the Training & Events Calendar here.

Courses include:

 – Our Bronze Award which provides the basic skills required to progress as a Technician. Developed to ensure that there was a relevant and recognized technical qualification for those wanting to either validate their existing skills or to develop their skills further in order to progress within the Industry. This is the first course in a trio courses meant to both develop and solidify your skill set.

– Our Silver Awards Course, the second level in a trio courses meant to both develop and solidify your skill set. These can be sat upon completion of Bronze (or equivalent training), where you can specialise your expertise in areas such as Sound, Lighting, Electrical and Stage roles. Created to ensure that there was a relevant and recognized technical qualification for those wanting to develop their skills in a specialized area after completing the Bronze Award.

– Our Gold Course, to be sat upon completion of a Silver Award or equivalent experience, is specifically for those in or moving towards managerial roles in the Industry.

– Our CPD Courses (Continuous Professional Development) which are practical one-day courses in a variety of subjects such as Manual Handling, PAT Testing, Flying, Pyrotechnics, Electrical Fundamentals etc. which run during the year but can often be requested “in venue”.

– Online training is now available on the following topics; AutoCAD for Theatre Professionals, Vectorworks for Theatre Professionals and ABTT Mental Health First Aid Training (2 day)

Request a course at your venue:

Many of our courses are available throughout the year in various locations in the UK, but these can also be run on-demand via peripatetic delivery. Courses may be delivered anywhere within the UK, or abroad and the ABTT would welcome interested theatres or organisations who wish to act as a host venues to get in contact. There may be some specialist requirements depending on which courses you are interested in. For example, for the Bronze Award, we would require the ability to fly scenery using hemp or counterweight.

If you are interested in finding out more, please contact us on training@abtt.org.uk with the following information:

  1. The course you wish to run
  2. Venue location
  3. Number of candidates
  4. Availability in your calendar

Course Discounts

In order to participate in ABTT Training Courses, you may wish to have ABTT Membership as you will be eligible for Membership Discounts, thus saving money. By joining the ABTT first before booking any training you will be able to save money whilst obtaining other membership benefits in the process.

For more information on joining the ABTT please see here: Membership

Should you have any questions about any of the courses or membership then simply contact us on admin@abtt.org.uk

 

Help with Funding

Here at the ABTT, we want to ensure that we can open our courses up to anyone who has an interest in Technical Theatre. As such, we have listed below some possible Funding bodies that may be able to assist with the cost of your course:

The Theatrical Guild
If you would like to develop your career by pursuing an ABTT Training course but are prevented from doing so by financial hardship please contact The Theatrical Guild to discuss eligibility for financial assistance. Tel: 020 7240 6062.
Please get in touch: https://ttg.org.uk/

Backup- The Technical Entertainment Charity
Backup – The Technical Entertainment Charity – provides financial support to industry technical professionals who are seriously ill or who have suffered from an accident and need to re-train. If you are working in live events, theatre, TV and film and needs some support and help to get you back on your feet please get in touch: https://www.backuptech.uk Tel: 01323 524138

ABTT Bronze Award for Theatre Technicians

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ABTT Silver Award for Stage Technicians

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ABTT Silver Award for Sound Technicians

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ABTT Silver Award for Theatre Electricians

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ABTT Gold Award for Theatre Technicians

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ABTT In-service Inspection of Electrical Equipment Testing (PAT) (One day CPD Course)

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ABTT Stage Pyrotechnics Safety Awareness Course (One day CPD Course)

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ABTT In-service Inspection for Lifting Gear (Two day CPD course)

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Electronics Fundamentals 1 & 2 (Two day CPD Course)

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Work at height with Personal Fall Protection Systems (PFPS) (One day CPD)

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Safe use of Temporary Access Equipment (One day CPD Course)

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Risk Led Safety in Theatre (One day CPD Course)

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Stage Structures (One day CPD Course)

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Fundamentals of Flying (One day CPD Course)

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Ropes, Knots and Splicing (One day CPD Course)

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Electrical Fundamentals (One day CPD Course)

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Manual Handling and Intro to Health and Safety (One day CPD Course)

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ABTT Mental Health First Aid Training (4 half days online):

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AutoCAD Online Training for Theatre Technicians (2023 version)

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Vectorworks Online Training for Theatre Technicians and Lighting Designers

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Find out when our next courses are here!

Click here to see what dates our next courses are running and to sign up and validate your skills today!

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