Apprenticeships and Mentoring
“The apprenticeship has been the most challenging, inspiring and rewarding experience I have ever been a part of but it has given me the ability and the confidence to lead my own sessions which I am so grateful for”.
Rhian Dwyer, Community Dance Apprentice, Rubicon Dance, 2018-2019
In 1994 Rubicon launched its unique community dance apprentice programme and since then has trained twenty seven apprentices aged 21 to 58 years who have had a range of career backgrounds and experiences. Past apprentices include those initially working for the Welsh Office, in business, in youth work and in graphic design, as well as those who had formal training in dance. An apprenticeship with Rubicon will usually last a year, with ongoing support and guidance afterwards.
How does the Apprenticeship programme work?
Read about our Apprenticeship Journeys
"The apprenticeship programme has been rewarding, challenging and inspiring. I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunities I have had, whilst working in such a supportive and encouraging environment. It has been great to be able to tailor my programme each term specifically to the areas I am most interested in. Being able to work shadow such skilled and experienced dance practitioners in a really wide range of sessions combined with weekly one to one mentoring sessions has really helped develop the skills I need to be a successful dance practitioner. A huge thank you to everybody at Rubicon for making my apprenticeship such a positive experience."
Aisling Baxter, Community Dance Apprentice, Rubicon Dance, 2019-2020
Expanding the apprenticeship scheme
From 2013 the Rubicon apprentice training model was rolled out and used by other organisations across Wales, the model being adapted to fit their organisation's needs. The programme also developed to include working to the National Occupational Standards in Dance Leadership (NOS). Recognition of this achievement is now given by People Dancing, the foundation for community dance, with each apprentice being awarded a certificate upon completion of their programme. Organisations wishing to adopt the apprenticeship model will therefore need to nominate a mentor to oversee the process.
“The mentoring programme has enabled us to develop a really great practitioner and the work has benefited us massively. We had to find new partners to work with, identified training, sourced funding and developed new groups and projects. [... The programme] helped us to look at developing projects and groups with sustainability built in so that work could continue in the longer term. I feel that our help has enabled the apprentice to grow in confidence and she is now carrying out a PHD to further develop her practice.”
David Chamberlain - Senior Arts Development Officer, Caerphilly County Borough Council
For more details about the community dance apprenticeship programme, please email Tracey Brown, Mentoring, Training, and Development Leader, at Tracey@rubicondance.co.uk
Photographer credit Paul Whittaker