Live Event Production (QQI Level 6)

This QQI Level 6 programme gives you hands-on training in the technical and organisational skills needed to produce live events, from small venue gigs to large-scale festivals. You study sound engineering, stage lighting design, rigging, stage management, and event logistics. A typical week might involve operating a mixing desk in the college's sound studio, rigging a lighting rig in a rehearsal space, and working through a production schedule for a simulated concert. Most courses include work placement with venues, touring companies, promoters, or festival crews, giving you real industry experience. Some programmes have links with European cultural organisations through Erasmus+, offering short-term placements abroad. You graduate with both technical know-how and the production management skills that live events demand.

Entry typically requires a Leaving Certificate with passes in five subjects, including English at Ordinary level or above. No single Leaving Cert subject is compulsory, though experience or interest in music, drama, physics, or design technology is an advantage. Some colleges accept applicants through QQI Level 5 awards in a related area such as music technology or performing arts, making this a strong progression route for those who did not pursue the traditional LC path. Mature applicants (aged 23 or over) are assessed on relevant life or work experience in events, music, or technical theatre and are actively welcomed. HEAR and DARE access schemes may apply at participating ETB colleges. A portfolio or short interview demonstrating genuine interest in live events is commonly required as part of the selection process.

Ireland's live events sector recovered strongly after 2020 and continues to grow, with significant investment in large venues, festivals, and corporate events. Demand for qualified technical crew is consistently high, as skilled riggers, sound engineers, and stage managers remain in relatively short supply relative to the volume of events taking place. Freelance and contract work is the norm in this industry, so building a network early through placement is important. With experience, earnings and responsibility grow steadily, and there are clear pathways into senior production management or touring work internationally.