Grays apprentice reflects on placement with Royal Opera House (From Thurrock Gazette)

Grays apprentice reflects on placement with Royal Opera House

12:00pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Emma Thomas

AN APPRENTICE is coming to the end of a two-year placement working for the Royal Opera House.

Jamie Ashwell, from Grays, already had an offer from a university to study a stage management degree but decided to take a job as an education events and tours apprentice based at the new production park in Thurrock.

South Essex College is working with the Royal Opera House to support apprentices.

Jamie, 20, said: “Working for the Royal Opera house is an incredible thing for me because they are a world leading organisation within the arts. With an apprenticeship you work on real projects and get two years of intensive support and training in a work place environment.

“Doing an apprenticeship has many advantages; one of course is money because you get paid to be an apprentice. Secondly you work with leading practitioners in the industry which you wouldn’t necessarily get when going into a job or doing a uni course.”

Jamie has also been rubbing shoulders with Royalty.

He explained: “One of the many highlights of my apprenticeship was when I met the Duke of Kent, he came to the site here because he wanted to find out what we do and also what we do for the community in Thurrock. I got to shake his hand and have a short conversation with him. He pointed at the other members of staff and said ‘keep learning from them.”