Oakwood Arts to launch apprenticeship program
4/20/2023, 6 p.m.
Virginians age 18 and older who want to get into the state’s movie and television industry have a new opportunity as Oakwood Arts is preparing to launch the first registered apprenticeships.
The new initiative is a partnership between Oakwood Arts and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry’s Registered Apprenticeship program, and is the state’s first registered apprenticeship focused on film and TV production.
“Our mission is to expand opportunities for underrepresented communities in the creative professions,” said Shannon Castleman, executive director of Oakwood Arts, in a statement. “This program expands our paths to that goal.”
Apprentices in the program, which will run from 12 to 18 months, will receive technical training in their chosen field and an hourly wage working in productions and work with industry-standard software and industry-specific equipment. Apprentices also will take supplemental courses through the Virginia Community College system.
The apprenticeship is an extension of the Oakwood Arts Job Education Training program launched two years earlier with the goal of bringing more underrepresented communities into Virginia’s movie and TV industry.
The application process is still under development and slated to open in the future. For more information, email shannon@oakwoodarts.org.
