Can You Hear & See the Audio and Video Career Opportunities?
It’s not hard to make sense of the fact that professionals make a living from their craft. The most believable versions of these professionals are the likes of doctors and lawyers, right?
In helping maintain a person’s health, or to defend a person’s rights, these professionals are worth every penny of their wage. There are other pro’s, as well, that deserve their pay, like an Air Condition repairman in the middle of a brutal summer, or a mechanic when your vehicle starts to sputter. What they all have in common is that their livelihood stems from having access to studying their given trade.
That “study” has allowed them to gain “experience” in the field, and that “experience” has provided “worth.” So, why write about these trades, if what brought you here was a keen interest in Music/Sound/Audio? The answer is simple: YOU can make a GREAT LIVING for yourself dealing with Music/Sound/Audio/Producing, etc.!
It all starts with a PASSION, though. YOU must have an internal need to work with audio. So, are YOU the person that spends all night putting together sounds on your laptop, and recording other sounds, to create layers of sounds that have never been heard, until your bleary eyes burn from looking at your computer monitor and your ears keep tugging at you to keep going because you are “not done?” Are you the person that scrutinizes EVERY sound in EVERY scene of a movie? Are you the person that hears different sounds than what is being broadcast, while the tv show goes from scene to scene? Are you the person that makes sure to get near the soundboard at the concert, to be in the prime listening position, AND check out what the sound guy is doing? Do you find yourself reading articles about different pieces of audio gear that you’d love to get your hands on? Are you the person that tunes out of the video game if the sounds don’t keep you enthralled? Well, then I guess I’m writing DIRECTLY TO YOU!
Historically, there was an era where that notion of being intrigued with sound might compel you to knock on a local Recording Studio’s door, get a chance to chat with the manager, and get handed a broom, in hopes that somebody might take kindness on you and show you a thing or two about how the studio works. The movie-version of this story skips ahead and shows YOU at the helm of a console, with major recording artists on the other side of the glass, right?
The truth of the matter is that in today’s Audio Industry, whether you’re looking to be a knob-jockey (Engineer), Producer, Sound Designer, Broadcast Engineer, Live Sound Engineer, Audio Tech (gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa… this list can go on and on and on and… well, you get it), YOU are going to need an education! Don’t forget the goal: MAKING A LIVING WITH YOUR CRAFT!
Education is paramount to your success, so you’ll have to consider what is out there. A community level college might appeal to your convenience, but will it have the kind of pedigree that will get you taken seriously by the sheer mention of its name? Will a traditional 4-year university let you get to making a name for yourself quickly, much less a living?
The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences (CRAS) is the kind of passionate, short-term education that will teach YOU every angle of the Audio Industry, to include Music Production, Live sound Reinforcement, Post Production, Video Game Audio, and Broadcast Audio, IN 9 MONTHS! Seriously, in 9 months you could walk into the Music Industry (or any of its audible cousins), start your CRAS-provided INTERNSHIP, and start paving a route to personal success! With 13 World Class Studio environments, 16 Industry-recognized Certifications, and a Hands-On Curriculum (wait… yes, there is some “Brains-On,” as well!), our student gains the knowledge and confidence to SUCCEED in EVERY ASPECT OF THE AUDIO WORLD!
Back to the heart of this article, though… SHOW ME THE MONEY, right?! The Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov, is a Governmental Agency that mass-collects data about the “working-world,” to include descriptions of jobs and their respective wages. Of course, different locales will provide different pay structures.
More so, BLS.gov is estimating a 13% growth in this field by 2026! That means that they’ve already calculated YOU in the field!
Careeronestop.org is a site sponsored by The U.S. Department of Labor. Still jittery about the reality of MONEY in your chosen field? Check this out:
From Careeronestop.org, YOU could be making over $92,000 as an Audio and Video Equipment Technician in California! Here’s the kicker… THAT’S NOT EVEN THE DREAM GIG, RIGHT?! Here’s a few other pieces of data, for your consideration:
Over $131,000 as a Sound Engineer Technician in NY
Over $87,000 as a Broadcast Engineer in CA
Over $200,000 as a Producer?!?!?!?!
The BLS.gov site is GREAT in that it helps YOU make sense of the kind of “life” you seek, state to state!
So, no more waiting around! That living that YOU deserve, doing that “thing” YOU were born to do? Make it happen, because CRAS PEOPLE MAKE IT! Connect yourself by contacting CRAS at cras.edu or at (800)562-6383. CRAS can provide you the education that it will take to get those doors to open for you!