With the first ever Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO) Summit completed, new research has revealed the nuanced systems of skills and jobs that make the music industry tick. Expanding on the 2020 study, ‘Career Path: The Victorian Music Business Career Life Cycle’, VMDO’s new research commission, ‘Skills and Roles – Support Workers in Victorian Music Industries’, offers fresh insights and recommendations to organise support in the sector.
VMDO General Manager, Kirsty Rivers, explains the role and importance of this type of research.
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“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,” says Rivers.
ArtsHub has plucked out some of the most interesting new information that VMDO will use to shape upcoming industry support, and that you can use for insight and guidance.
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Skill development
- Across all roles in the music sector, 61% of workers utilise financial, legal and business skills.
- The most critical skills, used by over 80% of music professionals, include soft skills like problem-solving, communication and interpersonal abilities.
Even prior to the pandemic, VMDO research found that a relatively unskilled workforce and ad hoc training systems were the single biggest issue facing the sector. These skill gaps only grew after pandemic lockdowns.
Financial planning and management skills were found to be the most in need of development in music workers. Research interviews revealed that general finance skills, contracting and marketing skills also need attention.
The research suggests that a systematic approach to skill development would benefit the industry, posing an opportunity to reevaluate training processes that can boost transferable skills and practical expertise. RMIT University Associate Professor Catherine Strong discusses the research findings on skill development in the industry.
“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,” says Strong.
Job trends
- Only one in five music workers have a single full-time role. 54% of workers hold multiple roles at once, embracing a portfolio career or a protean work life.
- Across their roles, nearly 50% of music workers are on the clock for 40-plus hours each week. This includes the 10% who work over 50 hours weekly.
- The expectation for music workers to be ‘all-rounders’ may be contributing to skill dilution, a long-term loss of industry experts and increased stress.
Post-pandemic in 2022, statistics showed a 66% loss of music jobs. Overall, the Australian arts and recreation sector suffered a 19% reduction in employment rates. Critical gaps in knowledge and expertise arose from the loss of expert workers, with many roles now filled by people with less experience. This has resulted in increased workloads for remaining staff, which may create burnout, exploitation and employee turnover.
Mentorships
- Structured training and mentoring is available in varying degrees throughout the industry with higher education programs rising in Victoria.
Another downside of losing expert workers is a hinderance on the ability to maintain mentorships and skill development across industry networks. Mentoring opportunities are vital across the music industry, and are identified as an important form of skill transference. Interviewees recall valuable experiences of being mentored and providing mentoring. A more structured mentoring system may help sustain music careers, fuelling skill development through training, guidance and advice.
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Taking action
Though the findings don’t give rise to a great deal of optimism, it’s not all bad. These new insights highlight the ways in which the music industry needs support, creating an opportunity for changes to be made.
The VMDO works with educational institutions, as well as a selection of government and industry experts, to deliver programs that respond to and target these gaps in music skills. In previous months, the VMDO has prioritised upskilling financial capabilities of music workers to strengthen Victoria’s music businesses. VMDO’s recent Leg Up program assisted 37 Victorian music workers to access grants, expert advice and professional development. And VMDO will also be bringing back its popular Experts in Residence program and the long-term Fast Track program, which supports music professionals as they build international experience, global networks and professional opportunities.
More information about VMDO’s work and research can be found on the website. Read the full ‘Skills and Roles – Support Workers in Victorian Music Industries’ report.
