A school which sounds good

Vocational colleges, which were outshined by the popular comprehensive high schools in the last years, are regaining their position and prestige, while young people are starting to see their potential. Also, the methods and the quality of education are changing. Nowadays schools teach professions which are most desired by employers.

In the view of the regional market needs, we opened in the Upper-Secondary School Complex No. 4 in Ruda Śląska a unique faculty which educates future sound production and sound equipment technicians. Because the facility did not have the equipment necessary for the realisation of the core curriculum, vocational workshops were held outside the school for some time. Thanks to the kindness of the Youth Community Centre in Ruda Śląska, the students could use the Centre’s recording studio and the concert hall.

Within the frames of the project, we adapted the general classroom for the needs of a room with electroacoustic and sound system devices as well as those of a recording studio with sound engineering. The adaptation and construction works included among others: the provision of new partition walls and the construction of a recording studio. The classroom has new floors and ceilings; a wooden platform was constructed in the control room. The works were not easy – such rooms must comply with certain parameters to guarantee best sound perception. Next, we equipped the classrooms with microphones, mixing consoles, sound recording and reproducing devices, other necessary systems and instruments – the drums, a piano, a synthesizer, a midi keyboard and audio editing software.

Today, our school is one of few in the country which educate in the sound production and sound equipment faculty, with such state-of-the-art teaching aids. When we were putting the classrooms in use, we could see true joy and enthusiasm of the students.

It is a great pleasure to see young people who are truly passionate and involved in what they learn at school. They stay after classes to develop their musical interest. I hope that in the near future the classrooms will also be used as examination posts during professional examination of sound production and sound equipment technicians, which we do not have in the voivodeship at the moment.

Sound production and sound equipment technician is a relatively new faculty in our school. When we opened it in 2014, we wanted to attract new students to our school. At that time, the facility was in a rather difficult situation. Enrolment was not successful. I remember that we did not manage to attract enough students to fill all the classes we had planned. We were analysing the labour market intently and looking for learning solutions and offers for the young which would meet the realities of the labour market.

Being one of the founding fathers of the faculty, I took advantage of my own passion for music and interest in sound. Another really important factor was establishing cooperation with the Music School in Ruda Śląska and the Academy of Music in Katowice. Together with our governing authority, the City of Ruda Śląska, we not only created a recording studio with professional equipment, but also developed a comprehensive employment support programme for 25 students.

Within the frames of the undertaking, the students took part in a self-presentation workshop, a professional aptitude assessment, they also learnt how to start own business. They participated in specialist courses in the field of audio editing software. They also had a chance to undergo a one month on the job training in Silesian radio stations, television, Culture Centre in Chorzów and in the Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze. The employers were pleasantly surprised by their professional skills. Our trainees approached every task – whether in the recording studio or during stage sound engineering – with commitment and true passion. Many of them have already been offered further cooperation. Additionally, the best fifteen had a chance to attend a category B driving course. The project also allowed three teachers from the school upgrade their professional qualification. Among others, they now can work in the field of sound engineering for computer games and multimedia.

I am convinced that when leaving the walls of our school, the students, without any complexes or newbie stress, will be ready to face professional challenges. I wish them that the experience they gain, combined with comprehensive knowledge from theoretical classes, will let them find their dream job in the media or in cultural institutions.

There is no concert, outdoor event or a theatre play which could take place without a sound system specialist. Although I did not play any musical instrument, I have been passionate about music for a long time. I was 16, so it was too late for me to go to a music school, besides it was not about playing a musical instrument, but about audio processing. That is why I became really interested in the new faculty offered by the school. Now I am one step further, because I am considering sound production to become me job in the future.

When the recording studio was open in the school, we were all very excited. A place with state-of-the-art equipment was created. It is just as good as commercial studios. If the school had not been granted the EU subsidy, I am sure we would not have such wide learning possibilities as we do now because it costs a fortune to rent a professional studio. And the classes give us a chance to get practical knowledge of our future workplace. Practical classes include among others sound recording, mixing, shaping of sound tone and reciprocal composition of individual elements of sound picture with the use of different tools – sound equipment, musical instruments and computers. I see how our faculty is developing. I am sure that this will be an incubator for good professionals and good sound.

I also had a chance to take part in the EU project which took great care of our professional development. Within the frames of the undertaking, I underwent a month long training at the Polish Radio in Katowice where I met fantastic people – professionals for whom, just like for me, music is everything.

I was involved in recording pieces of music, albums and concerts. I was given the opportunity to see the sound editing process. I found the time really intensive and inspiring. It convinced me that it is what I want to do in my life. I made contacts which hopefully will lead to fruitful cooperation in the future. I am beginning my fourth year of learning and I have a plan sprouting in my head: first university, later a job at the radio.