How Industri Education is Bridging The Skills Gap for the Live Music Industry: Exclusive
The Australian live music industry is showing signs of recovery, with forecasts encouraging a return to pre-pandemic levels in 2024 and a 30.8% increase in live music revenue by 2026 (PWC).
But while the demand for live is rising, the industry faces a critical challenge: a shortage of skilled workers across technical and operational roles.
Luke O’Sullivan, live music veteran and founder of Industri Education, is no stranger to the frustrations shared by promoters and event providers.
“As an industry, we kept seeing that we were losing seasoned operators [to the pandemic] and that students were coming out of traditional institutions without the practical skills needed to thrive in live music settings. The skills gap was making it harder for events to find staff who could hit the ground running,” O’Sullivan explains.
The live industry has long operated on informal networks, where knowledge is passed down on the job. While this system fosters community, it also limits opportunities for diversification, gatekeeping potential workers on the sidelines. The sector risks losing talent as young people struggle to see clear career pathways.
As highlighted in a submission by The Push to the recent Parliamentary Inquiry into the live music industry: “Skills shortages are occurring across all parts of the industry [and we need to address] the disconnect that exists between young people and the music industry to ensure [viable career pathways].”
This sentiment is supported by feedback from Live Performance Australia’s members who, earlier this year, “consistently noted significant industry-wide skills shortages across Australia, particularly for a range of technical and production roles”.
Or, as we called it in 2022: Too much of the good stuff, too few hands at the pump.
In response to this challenge, the National Cultural Policy, Revive (2023-2027), outlined workforce development as a key priority. The policy emphasises the need to address skills shortages through education and upskilling, with a focus on creating sustainable career pathways for young people. Revive supports both formal and non-formal education, to rebuild the live music workforce and ensure the industry has the talent it needs to thrive.
Industri Education, the first tertiary institute dedicated exclusively to the live music industry, aligns with those goals. Offering courses in Live Sound Production and Live Music Business, the institute is bridging the gap between education and the workforce. Its programs are developed with the input of industry leaders and through formal partnerships with the likes of JPH Audio(supplier for events like Taylor Swift to Beyond The Valley), MPH Australia, and Showtech.
Industri also has FEE-HELP available and a third-party delivery partnership with the Australian Institute Of Music (AIM) in place, with credits earned fully transferable, meaning students can complete a Bachelor’s degree with just one more year of study.
“Our students don’t just sit in classrooms or studios,” O’Sullivan says. “They’re out there working on real events – whether it’s Knotfest, Live at RRR Studio, or a headline show at The Northcote – so they graduate knowing exactly what it takes to manage a live show.”
The evolution of live music from an informal craft to a recognised field of study reflects the growing complexity of the industry. O’Sullivan sees this shift as essential to keeping pace with the sector’s growth: “The industry isn’t what it used to be. It’s more professional, more demanding, and we need to build a workforce that can meet those demands.”
While challenges remain, there is optimism that initiatives like Industri Education, supported by Revive, will build a more diverse and resilient workforce. “We’re giving students not just the skills they need but the confidence to see live music as a career,” O’Sullivan says. “The demand for live music isn’t going away – and neither is the need for people who know how to make it happen.”