What does the job market look like for Sound Engineers just finishing school?

  • Thread starter CHRISTOPHER SHARP
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Those numbers aren't cooked up. They are to emphasize the point that if you choose education as your career path; choose a good school. This school is 7k/qtr.. There has been 2 people on Iron Chef that came from AIS and 1 person off of Project Runway. Their audio program has 4 full scale studios that are available for student use when classes aren't in session. For each and every program, (audio, culinary, etc) there is a person who's only job is to find opportunities within that field. This means that you can approach this advisor at each of the 90 different Art Institute campuses over the U.S and find jobs in any metropolitan area.
Now, with that being said, only 38 people graduated from AIS in audio production last year.... The grind really comes down to how you work in school and how much you are willing to sacrifice.

More failure stories please
 
I can't comment specifically on AIS as I have no direct knowledge of them. But historically for-profit schools have been notorious for cooking the books when it comes to the success of their students. This is one of the things the current white house administration is trying to clamp down on them about. I would agree that those numbers likely have some serious spin-doctoring to them.

There is a difference these days vs. the olden days. Back in the day nobody wanted to really be an engineer so you didn't really need any qualifications to get a low-level job. Just be able to show up on time and know how to use a broom. And internships were very easy. But now, because through the low-cost (or free) DAWs, everybody has gotten a taste of what making records is like, everyone wants those custodial jobs and internships. So now the only way in is through an internship, and there's 1000 guys/gals for every one internship. It's to the point where virtually the ONLY way to get an internship is through a school. Everyone knows that, which is why these schools are able to milk everyone. But here's the thing: it doesn't matter if you are at a for-profit school or a public university in terms of getting an internship. The difference is that one school leaves you in dept with a trade skill that can only be applied to one insanely competitive and highly underpaid career option. The other leaves you in dept with an education that will open doors in a PLETHORA of career choices that are all easier to get a job in and all pay more should you fail in the music industry.
 
What does the job market look like for sound engineers just finishing school? In one word BAD!

But this should not be a surprise. The job numbers came out today and those are bad also. Jobs are tough to find in all areas, but anything involving the arts has traditionally been worst than the average anyway.

Everyone in the music business has to diversify in order to make money these days. Like Moses said, artist are pushing perfumes and the like to compensate for lacking record sales, so as an engineer you would have to do the same type of thing to keep afloat. You would most likely have to do lots of other things other than music anyway. This rings doubly true if you choose to have a wife, kids, cars and a mortgage.

My advice would be to go to college (a real one) and do something else as a career. Save the music stuff for a side gig you do on weekends or something.
 
I went to school for recording as well. I interned at a radio station doing edits for their "Best Of" shows after I graduated. After that there was no work. All the good jobs are taken by guys who have been doing it for years. Only simple jobs may pop up like live engineering at local concert clubs but they pay shit. Your best bet is to own your own studio but even that is becoming obsolete. Recording equipment is so affordable now and it makes anyone with some money an engineer/producer.
 
If you do not have the fortitude to be broke on and off and for a long time than i would pursue an other avenue. If you are in it because you have something to say or a vision you want to carry out, doing this for a living will compromise it. Ive been in the business for a while and have been fortunate to have a decent list of credits that allow me to keep working, as well as have a little leverage in certain situations..... but in 2011 for newbies......its bleek. If you are willing to establish a team and build your own thing from the ground up this is the time to do it. Get a job doing something else and make the music you want to make until it pops. No one is interested in engineers. They are still just as necessary but home recording has made everyone think they can do it all themselves. More power to them. Learn how to engineer to create your own thing.
 
mikechav said:
If you do not have the fortitude to be broke on and off and for a long time than i would pursue an other avenue. If you are in it because you have something to say or a vision you want to carry out, doing this for a living will compromise it. Ive been in the business for a while and have been fortunate to have a decent list of credits that allow me to keep working, as well as have a little leverage in certain situations..... but in 2011 for newbies......its bleek. If you are willing to establish a team and build your own thing from the ground up this is the time to do it. Get a job doing something else and make the music you want to make until it pops. No one is interested in engineers. They are still just as necessary but home recording has made everyone think they can do it all themselves. More power to them. Learn how to engineer to create your own thing.
Click to expand...

Quoted for realness and wisdom. :cheers:
 
Regarding diversity, you can be diverse within the field. Engineering does not stop with setting up microphones and mixing tracks. Take some electrical coursework, or electronic engineering, better yet computer programming. Obtaining IT certification is a positive, you can fix or build studio computers, mix music, repair equipment, beta test software, build websites for musicians as part of your skillset and paid services etc etc etc.

Necessarily speaking, while you are in school, networking is your biggest asset once you graduate. If you have a great set of skills and nobody knows about you, then you'll spend the next 4 years establishing that you exist. Befriend who you can, learn to play the game of networking and staying in contact with the right people. Working on staying in work will pay off in spades. One of my many hats includes JJ Audio, I would not have gotten into that field (electronics engineering) without some experience at the college and studio level. I definitely took some MIS coursework, including computer science and a nice helping of business courses. Knowing how to express yourself through verbal and written communication is something that will pay off in spades years down the road, TRUST ME. If you get a chance, take some English coursework (no disrespect behind that, that's just what the concentration is called :)) You never know, somebody may ask you to write an article or two.

Never pass up an opportunity to learn something new, it may be the deciding factor between that guy or YOU.

Peace
Illumination
 
love this quote. because i have been preaching this for quite some time now. CREATE YOUR OWN MARKET. there's always an untapped well out there if you know what i mean. just have to discover it. i would never tell anyone to stop pursuing what they want to do. unless its for the wrong reasons. but we all have to face reality. and the reality is that its imperative that we have something to fall back on. guess that's what the 360 deal is for labels who are sinking. and have sunk lol. anyway just don't be caught with your pants down after you've been training for this for 4-10yrs and wonder where are the jobs. have a plan my man.
 
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I graduated from AI Philadelphia, They didnt offer sound Engineering, i studied graphic design but before that i took a semester at another school in music production and sound recording, I decided that the music industry wasn't something that i should take as a serious career path. So i figured i'd still produce since thats what i love to do and study something that i felt i can definately be successful at.

I definitely agree that for profit school cook up alot of bullshit, but i completely took advantage of why i went there. And since theres a shit load of AI's across the country i can move to Santa Monica, Atlanta, wherever, walk in tell them I'm Alumni AIPH and they'll help me find a local job. Even though i felt i could have taught myself 95% of the shit that was regurgitated over and over, i feel the most important part of college was getting to network, socialize, and meet people who are studying similar things and thats the easiest way to get a job nowadays, from just knowing somebody.

My advice is Study something else that your interested in and that's guaranteed, just practice your craft in the meantime and 'freelance'.
 
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