‘Why should my child study drama?’, ‘how will drama help their future career?’ and ‘what can you do with drama?’ are questions that drama teachers are asked regularly. Based on recent Ofqual reports, the number of pupils studying Drama for GCSE has been in decline over the past 7 years, even though Drama benefits the individual: helping them to develop communication and collaborative skills, as well as increasing confidence. Surely these transferable skills helped Drama students when joining various professions?
Nurturing future leaders
Acting headteacher of Trinity Church of England Primary School, Sabrina McMann, studied Drama to degree and PGCE level before embarking on her teaching career, explaining how the subject gave her confidence to stand in front of children, staff, parents and governors. She notes that her drama training has also fed her practical teaching skills and she endeavours to instil this learning in the classroom. She adds, ‘My experiences of being directed taught me how to lead people and not simply manage them. I believe it plays a large role in why I have progressed in my career.’
Drama clearly has communicative and leadership benefits and can work as a tool to help children become teachers in adulthood. Nina Kerrou is a deputy special educational needs coordinator – having studied Drama at university: ‘I think drama is a brilliant thing for teachers, or anyone considering being a teacher. You need a range of strategies to be able to keep kids engaged for an hour or two! Obviously, confidence is a huge benefit of Drama and something you need when standing in front of a class, or the whole school in assembly. It's just that skill of being able to present yourself and your subject matter in an almost staged way, while appearing completely natural! I think it helps me particularly with SEN children because I can think of creative yet practical ways to support them, which is useful if they don't respond to a certain approach.’
Kerrou adds, ‘I think everyone should study drama to at least GCSE – it helps with social skills, teamwork, respect, confidence, creativity, as well as writing and reading.’
Raising employability
Chelsea Lockhart, PA to a celebrity chef, studied for a degree in Drama and English at University. She feels very strongly that studying Drama has been beneficial to her career, saying that the subject ‘has helped hugely with my communication skills, empathy and seeing things from a different perspective. Lateral, creative problem solving skills have also been a huge benefit, as well as having the confidence to talk in front of my peers, and take on management and leadership roles even though I have been really nervous.’
‘Most of my clients have been structured corporate companies who would pay for our team to inject some creative inspiration into their workforce, in order to engage and ignite their inventive thinking, lateral skills and confidence in communication[…] the skills learned in drama are used no matter what industry you may work in.’
Clearly drama provides many transferable skills including communication and public speaking. But copywriter Sarah Tilly discovered she could continue using her creativity as an adult. ‘I got hooked on playwriting doing a class in my final year and knew it was something I wanted to get into! By chance I heard about copywriting at a careers talk (which was actually for English students.) I wasn't sure I would be of interest to companies with a Drama background, but often more creative and tech companies are looking for storytellers and creatives. I think drama covers a lot of employment bases.’
Studying Drama develops skills that can then be used in all sorts of careers, regardless of whether a young person wants to work in the industry or not, since it enhances emotional intelligence and lateral thinking. As McMann says: ‘Go for it! Don't consider Drama simply because you want to act (as wonderful as it is), consider Drama because it helps you move forward in life with confidence.’