Pollstar (09/06/22) King, Ariel
College committees and internships can unlock opportunities for students to break into the music industry, with Nederlander VP of Marketing Jamie Loeb saying she owes her entry to a college committee when she was at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She got her start as a backstage security staffer through the associated students program board, which led to marketing shows and eventually to booking. Internships are highly sought-after, and Live Nation Concerts reported that they hired only 50 interns out of 15,000 applicants. "Many in the industry come from a range of educational backgrounds that may not be music-related or include attending university, which speaks to how important real-world experience is when establishing your career," notes Aisha Collins with Live Nation's Concerts and Touring division. "We're always looking for driven, passionate individuals and we can't wait to meet our fall class." Another resource is the nonprofit Well Dunn, which matches college-aged students with various festivals and companies to offer hands-on experience. "There are enough of us old dogs that we know we're eventually going to age out and we want to help the next generation move forward," says Well Dunn President David Norman. "For me, with college students, I just love learning from them and giving advice if they ask for it." College campuses also offer programs that allow students to gain experience staging live shows.
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