New Study Reveals Upskilling Needs for Victorian Music Industry Workers

A new study has uncovered the learning and skills needs for Victorian music industry workers to help them survive and build better careers.

The Victorian Music Development Office launched its research commission – Skills & Roles – Support workers in Victorian music industries – at its inaugural Music Data and Insights Summit in Collingwood. It was compiled in partnership with RMIT University and builds on a similar study compiled in 2020. A total of 212 workers were surveyed and 21 extended interviews were conducted, representing 324 different paid music roles across Victoria.

The new research points out the nuances of learning and skills development within the complex and precarious career paths of Victorian music professionals. Among the findings were:

• 54% of music workers hold multiple roles to make ends meet, and only one in five have a single full-time role.
• Almost 50% work more than 40+ hours per week across all their roles, including over 10% who work 50+ hours per week.
• The increasing expectation for music professionals to be ‘all-rounders’ may be leading to skill dilution, increased stress and the potential long-term loss of industry specialists and experts.

The research found 61% of all roles in the music sector use business, financial and legal skills. While many music workers are often ‘all-rounders’, the research found that these areas require further attention to develop these skills.

Soft skills like communication, interpersonal abilities and problem-solving emerged as the most critical skill sets used by over 80% of music professionals.

VMDO General Manager Kirsty Rivers said the research responded to the challenges faced by the Victorian music industry to sustain and develop its workforce.

“By building evidence-based research, we can better understand the skills and the gaps that exist. It helps us to develop bespoke industry training and support opportunities that are needed to thrive in the complex global music industry,” she said.

RMIT University Associate Professor Catherine Strong said the report was the first to map the support roles and associated skills within the Victorian music industries.

“Skills shortages are often an industry concern and the research highlights areas requiring attention that could strengthen the workforce,” said Strong.

“The research shows that music workers often acquire skills on-the-job, which is valued by the industry. However, this means that professionals may not always acknowledge the skills or gaps they have. Finding ways to make formal training work better for this group is one way to counter these issues.”