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About the Traineeship & Eligibility

Arts Centre Melbourne has five (5) new career opportunities available for people with a passion for technical production in the performing arts.

Arts Centre Melbourne’s in-house Technical Production Traineeship Program has been designed for individuals who have not yet commenced their professional careers. We look for people who are keen to enter the industry and undertake formalised learning & development to gain the required skills & knowledge in technical theatre production to achieve a Nationally Accredited Qualification.

We are offering five (5) traineeship positions at Certificate III level across our busy Production department. (2 x positions in our Staging Team and 1 x position in each of our Lighting, Sound & Vision & Corporate Venues & Events Production teams).

It is important that you focus on one area of interest in your application; we understand people have broad interests, but we need to know about your specialty interest area.

Please read the descriptions below to understand more about the roles and the range of work within them before you make a decision on which role you wish to apply for. We do not encourage applying from more than one specialty department role.

You will also need to satisfy our eligibility criteria:

• Excellent presentation and communication skills.
• Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia (for at least six months prior to applying).
• Willing to fully commit to the traineeship agreement. Traineeship duration is 12 months (Feb 2027 - Feb 2028).
• Applicants must not have completed a qualification equal to or above a Certificate III level in any similar technical production qualification. For example, completing a Cert III, Cert IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma or Degree in any technical production discipline will make you ineligible.
• You must display a willingness to learn and commit to both the classroom based and on-the job training components for the entire duration of the Traineeship. These positions must take priority over any other commitments at all times.

Arts Centre Melbourne is committed to diversity in all its forms across the Performing Arts and we encourage applications from all genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people of colour, the Deaf and Disabled members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of all ages. Arts Centre Melbourne is a place for everyone.

We seek to provide workplace adjustments at all relevant stages of the recruitment process such as interpreters, alternative formats or other access supports. You can specify in the application form if you require any adjustments or please ask us at any stage. If you need to contact us about making workplace adjustments during the recruitment process, please send an email to peopleassist@artscentremelbourne.com.au

How, when and where?

Trainees will be recruited throughout November & December 2026. Shortlisted candidates are invited to attend a group session at Arts Centre Melbourne with individual interviews held on Wednesday 2nd December for each position, together with an exclusive back of house tour of the venues.

The successful applicants for the traineeships will commence rostered work and learning activities at Arts Centre Melbourne from Tuesday 9th February 2027 to Monday 7th February 2027.

The traineeships include a combination of on and off-the-job learning as trainees work toward obtaining the nationally accredited qualification: CUA30425: Certificate III in Live Production & Technical Services.

All trainees will be employed for a minimum of 25 hours per week on a variable time (part time) contract.

Variable-time employment strikes the balance between security and flexibility. You have a guaranteed number of weekly hours, with the chance to flex up to 38 hours if your availability matches available shifts. Shifts can change depending on your availability and operational need. Variable-time is similar to working flexible part-time.

Trainees will have an initial probationary period of six months, during which they will need to successfully complete 3 x WH&S units of their course together with 3 x core units and 2 x units from the elective unit bank. All trainees are required to complete all other units from their qualification throughout the designated traineeship period.

Trainees will commence on a rate of $24.49 per hour (Band 1.1) and after the probationary period the rate will be $25.94 per hour (Band 1.2). General terms and conditions of employment will be per the Arts Centre Melbourne Enterprise Agreement 2022.

BOUT THE ROLES (Please read carefully before making your selection)

Staging (Mechanist) Traineeship

If you like working with your hands, being part of a team and seeing a big project come together, a Production Staging traineeship at Arts Centre Melbourne could be for you. As a Production Staging Trainee Mechanist, you’ll be at entry level, learning directly from the highly experienced staging mechanists who are behind major performances, loading and unloading trucks, moving equipment and materials, using hand and power tools helping build and install large and complex theatrical sets, then dismantling and packing everything away when the show is finished. The work is physical and practical, with strong connections to the construction industry, so you’ll need energy, physical stamina, a willingness to learn and follow instructions, with a strong focus on safety. You’ll work closely with experienced crew members, using tools, equipment and practical skills to solve problems and get the job done safely and efficiently. To be clear, this is not a stage management or a designer role and it’s not about creating sets, making props or painting elaborate scenery, it’s the hands-on, hard-working end of live performance.

Sound & Vision Traineeship

The Production Sound & Vision traineeship at Arts Centre Melbourne is an entry-level opportunity to learn the practical foundations of working as an audio and vision technician in live production. You’ll learn & work alongside experienced technicians, learning how to safely install, connect, test, maintain and pack away audio and vision equipment and systems used across theatrical productions, orchestras, concerts and events. The role involves hands-on work, including moving equipment, running and securing cables, setting up technical equipment and following instructions and safe work practices in a busy production environment. You’ll be learning under the direction of experienced crew who hold qualifications as trainers/assessors, developing the technical knowledge, teamwork and safety awareness needed to progress in the industry. This is not a role where you will be operating audio for large-scale events or mixing shows independently, it is about building the practical skills and experience that can provide a pathway towards a career as a professional live production audio or vision technician.

Lighting Traineeship

A Production Lighting traineeship at Arts Centre Melbourne is a hands-on, entry-level opportunity to learn the practical foundations of a career as a lighting technician in live production. Learning from and working alongside experienced lighting technicians and qualified trainer/ assessors, you’ll learn how to prepare, install, test, maintain and pack away lighting equipment and systems used for theatrical productions, concerts and other live performances. The role involves practical work in performance spaces and backstage areas, including manual handling equipment, working at heights where required, managing cables and following detailed instructions and safe work practices. This is not a role where you will be independently operating or programming lighting for large-scale events, you’ll be learning under instruction and building the technical knowledge, practical skills, teamwork and safety awareness needed to progress in the industry.

Production Corporate Venues & Event Traineeship

A traineeship within the Arts Centre Melbourne Production Corporate Venues & Events team offers a hands-on opportunity to learn from a highly skilled operational team responsible for delivering a diverse range of performances, events, gala dinners, award shows and corporate functions. This role is not based on the theatre stages; instead, you’ll work across event and function spaces, gaining practical experience in a range of live production disciplines. As a trainee in this team, you’ll develop an all-rounder foundation in areas such as basic lighting, sound and vision and staging set-ups, while learning to work safely, follow instructions, handle equipment and contribute effectively as part of one of our busiest production teams. It’s an ideal entry point for someone who wants to explore the different technical areas of live production and build a broad practical foundation for a future career in the industry.

About Arts Centre Melbourne

Situated in the heart of Melbourne’s cultural precinct, Arts Centre Melbourne presents world-class performing arts in a year-round exciting program. Experience Australia’s best performing arts companies and exceptional international productions, alongside celebrations of comedy, cabaret and popular music. Our values describe behaviours we will demonstrate in our interactions with Visitors, Presenters, Government and each other: Leadership, Creativity, Accountability and Equity & Inclusion.

The Business Unit

The Production business unit enables the high-quality delivery of live performances and events in any one of Arts Centre Melbourne’s five main venues and event spaces including The Ian Potter State Theatre, The Playhouse, The Fairfax Studio, Hamer Hall & the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

The Production business unit comprises of Venue Operations, Lighting, Sound & Vision, Staging, Broadcast & Multimedia, Corporate Events, Production Management, Wardrobe and Technical Training & Development.

Arts Centre Melbourne employees enjoy a range of benefits including:

• Opportunity to receive free house seats and complimentary tickets to our shows
• Organisational-wide learning and development and wellbeing programs
• Discounted commuter benefits and onsite car-parking
• Access to health care insurance at competitive rates
• Food and beverage discounts at our staff café and surrounding restaurants.

Arts Centre Melbourne is excited about providing this opportunity for the right applicants. If you would like to apply, please complete and submit your application online by 11:55pm Sunday 22 nd November 2026.

Applications are open to those with full-working rights in Australia. Arts Centre Melbourne is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Important Note: Only applications that complete the online application form will be considered for this role. Within the online application, all applicants must submit a cover letter which addresses the key selection criteria together with a current CV.

If you have not received a response from us 1 week after the closing date, please consider your application to be unsuccessful. Due to the amount of interest that we receive for these roles annually, we unfortunately do not have capacity to provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates.

Summary

Arts Centre Melbourne’s 2027 Hansen Little Technical Production Traineeship Program offers these extremely rare opportunities to gain a genuine foundation for an ongoing career in live production while being paid to learn.

Our program is regarded across Australia’s performing arts centre network as a gold-standard industry program, designed by the industry, for the industry.

These are not roles for people looking for a pathway into performing or simply wanting to experience the ‘magic’ behind the scenes.

These are career starters. We are looking for the next generation of skilled technicians and mechanists, people who are curious, hands-on, committed to learning and ready to work as part of a team to help deliver world-class live performances and events.