I Need A Job

Two or three emails a week come in to my studio website asking about employment opportunities as an audio engineer.

It’s never been easy to get in to the business but these days where many major record companies have not been investing in new talent and a vast number of the public don’t expect to pay for a record, the people who dedicate their lives to creating great music are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet let alone earn a decent income.

And yet, private schools are charging outrageous amounts of money to train thousands of people for an industry that has very limited demand.

One school in Ontario, Canada charges over $22,000 for an eleven-month program. Another school in Florida charges over $50,000 for a twelve-month program.

Placement rates are supposedly as high as 85%. However, definition of a successful placement can encompass many different jobs. If you get a job working behind the counter at AMC theaters, Best Buy or Blockbuster Video, you are considered to be placed (and guess which one occurs more often).

Check out the websites though. Very tempting if you are a young person hoping to make it in the music business. A Canadian example and an American example.