Meet Sophie, 21, and find out about life as a wardrobe technician at the Royal Opera House in central London. Part of our Bitesize world of work series.
Sophie:
I'm Sophie. I'm 21 years old and I'm a wardrobe technician.
I never imagined myself being in this job. I changed my mind every two minutes as a child about what I want to do. Sometimes I wanted to be a vet, or a dentist, or an actress. I was always a little bit creative but more academic in school and I decided to study Biology, Chemistry, Maths, and Theology for my A-levels.
Out of my group of friends, I was the only one who decided against going to university straight away. At first, it was a little bit daunting because everyone was moving away. But, in the end, I had a conversation with my sister; she told me to keep my options open and explore different routes.
I found an apprenticeship advertised on the Royal Opera House website and decided to pursue my more creative side. I'm a costume performance support technician, otherwise known as a wardrobe technician. We receive the costumes for a show and keep them clean, do any alterations, and any last minute repairs. We also work on the shows, hand-in-hand with the performers doing any quick changes or just helping out of anything they need.
We have a props team and a stage crew team and stage management team. It's essential that we all communicate really well together so the show runs smoothly.
Having already worked here as an apprentice for a year and a half was a huge benefit when a job came up in my department. I spoke to my managers and decided to apply and realised I could finish my apprenticeship six months early. When I got offered my full time position I felt really happy and proud, and really thankful to everyone who'd helped me throughout my apprenticeship.
I'm so glad when I finished school. I took the time to really think about what I want to do and I'm in constant awe of the beautiful costumes we get to work with every day.
I'm so glad I took the time to think about what I really wanted to do.
- Sophie was academic at school and chose to study Biology, Chemistry and Theology for A-level
- She was the only one of her friends who didn't go to university straight away. It was daunting, but her sister encouraged her to keep her options open
- After seeing an apprenticeship advertised on the Royal Opera House website, she decided to pursue her more creative side
- Sophie is responsible for looking after the costumes for shows, keeping them clean, making any last-minute alterations, and helping out with quick changes during performances. Her full job title is Costume Performance Support Technician. This job is similar to Wardrobe Assistant, which we have more details on below.
Wardrobe technicians can also be known as wardrobe assistants. Wardrobe assistants help to make, find and look after clothes and costumes used in theatre, film and TV productions.
What to expect if you want to be a wardrobe assistant
- Wardrobe assistant average salary: Variable
- Wardrobe assistant typical working hours: 41 to 43 hours per week
What qualifications do you need to be a wardrobe assistant?
You could get into this role via a a university course or a college course (such as a Level 2 Certificate in Fashion and Textiles,Level 3 Certificate in Theatre Support Costume and Wardrobe, or a T Level in Craft and Design - England only - from Sept 2023). You can also do an apprenticeship or work towards the role.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service, GOV.UK
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed and the GOV.UK website for more on T-levels.
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
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