The important thing to remember about any audio course is that it doesn't guarantee you a job. In an interview for a sound engineering trainee, the employer will look for personal qualities, such as being able to get on well with people and for commitment to audio.

Commitment can be demonstrated by prior experience or internship, technical knowledge, or by achieving a qualification in sound engineering. There are many schools that offer their own internal qualifications, and always there is a big question mark - has the qualification been 'bought'? 

With a City & Guilds qualification, the fact that you have to pass an exam that is totally independent of the school is very impressive to employers. So, although outside of the UK few employers would have heard of City & Guilds, if you can get the message across that it is a tough qualification, which it is, and through gaining this qualification you are proving your commitment to audio, you have every chance of doing very well in your interview. In fact, any employer who wouldn't at least offer you an interview on the strength of having this qualification would have to be short sighted in the extreme. 

A student can take the exams in a school or college close to where he or she lives, preferably one that is state funded. The student has to make first contact with them, but we can give them a letter of introduction. We normally do this on registration for the exams. This is a surprisingly easy process and we never have any difficulty. Once contact is made, our examination officer arranges everything else.

Each week the student receives a learning text through the Internet together with check questions so that they can self-assess the knowledge they have gained. The next week, the student will receive model answers to these questions together with their next learning text. 

At all times the student is able to ask Audio Masterclass anything they need in terms of further explanation. The student does not need any other materials for the course. This system is simple and effective. 

So far, Audio Masterclass has a 100% success rate in the City & Guilds exams.