TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Inspired by one of Adesola’s blogs about ‘collaborations and other knowledge gained from the arts’ I thought I would share my ideas on the topic. I have in fact been thinking about this topic myself over the last month.
I remember a teacher at college saying that this is full time training for a part time career. And yes although you may not always be using your art form in a direct way, the skills you gain from this training and industry can be used in our professional and personal lives full time.
One of the most useful skills that I have learned from the arts is the ability to work as a team and communicate with others. In the arts you have first days all the time and you are constantly meeting new people. I remember struggling with this as a late teen and although it can still be daunting to meet new people I find I have developed the skills and confidence to interact and work creatively with new faces on a regular basis.
In an interview for a teaching assistant role in a school the headmaster asked if I would be able to multitask and would I mind moving from class to class or would this ‘stress me out’. To with I replied ‘I’m an actor!’. As an actor I’ve been working 8-5 in the day whilst doing a fringe show at night, prepping for auditions, responding to emails whilst trying to eat and sleep and breath!! Whilst this level of multitasking may not always be sustainable it certainly made me organised and resilient.
There is sometimes an assumption if someone hasn’t taken the performing or teaching track after graduating that they have not succeeded in using their training. The above proves that an arts training can give you skills for life whatever area you end up working in!