Educational progression, transitions and outcomes
Research into performing arts graduates’ careers
22/10/2020
CRAC, supported by the Institute of Student Employers, has undertaken research with graduates of the six constituent schools of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama (CDD) to understand more about the career paths of performance and production graduates:
- - Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
- - Central School of Ballet
- - London Contemporary Dance School
- - National Centre for Circus Arts
- - Northern School of Contemporary Dance
- - Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance
‘It helps to have more strings to your bow’: Exploring the careers and success of graduates of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama’ reveals a wide range of career trajectories and that many of these graduates have complex working patterns. Almost 90% maintain a connection to the artform they studied (through paid or unpaid activity) and 4 in 5 think they have built a good career since graduation – most are, in many respects, highly satisfied with their careers. We present a new, holistic model of graduate success which explores areas such as artistic engagement, wellbeing and making a difference, as well as earnings. The report’s findings will be directly relevant to those with an interest in creative and performing arts education, but the new approach to considering graduate success and course outcomes could be very interesting for other groups, particularly where earnings are not a good measure of career progress or a meaningful one in terms of what graduates value.
