Stagehands

Stagehands are the unsung heroes of the entertainment industry, ensuring that every performance runs smoothly behind the scenes. With the UK’s vibrant theatre, music, and event scene, this role offers dynamic opportunities for those who thrive in fast-paced environments and love the thrill of live performances.

Stagehands

30

Creative Arts and Design

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO30%moving to75%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSD
STARTING PAY£18,000 - £22,000
MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIEDA real score, but the moat is not yet classified. No claim either way.
AI can do very little of this work today
Hands-on work, caring for people and dealing with the real world are among the hardest things to automate, and this job leans on them. We have not yet formally classified its moat, so we make no claim either way, but the exposure score speaks for itself.

Career progression path

1FIRST STEPJunior StagehandAs a Junior Stagehand, you will assist in the setup and breakdown of equipment, gaining hands-on experience in the technical aspects of live performances.£18,000 - £22,000
2GAINING EXPERIENCEMid-Level Stage TechnicianIn this role, you will take on more responsibility, operating equipment and leading small teams during productions, ensuring everything runs seamlessly.£23,000 - £28,000
3PEAK CAREERSenior Stage ManagerAs a Senior Stage Manager, you will oversee all technical aspects of productions, coordinating between departments and ensuring the highest standards of performance.£30,000+

Real apprenticeship standards

Live UK apprenticeship standards that lead into this career, from the Institute for Apprenticeships register.

L2Junior grip24 months typicalnot published
There is more than one way in

You do not have to go the university route to get here. There is also a vocational route that skips a degree entirely. Some employers will take you on here with no formal qualifications at all, if you can show you can do the work.

Careermash

Careermash: navigate your career path with real data. Explore career profiles, salary benchmarks, AI impact forecasts, and the qualifications you need to get there.


AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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