Associates Training Programme 2025-26 *Apply now*

Calling all Wired4Music members and alumni!

Want access to training, mentoring, skills development and real-life, paid work opportunities

with Sound Connections and Wired4Music?

Apply now for our Associates Training Programme!

Deadline for applications – Monday 14 July 2025 at 9am.

The opportunity

Are you a Wired4Music member or alumni looking for paid work, training, and mentoring in music education and consultancy? Join Sound Connections Associates Training Programme – a 12-month opportunity to gain work opportunities. We are now recruiting 2 x Trainee Associates to join us from 2025-26.

Tell me more…

Our Trainee Associates will work closely with the Sound Connections team on our ‘Insight’ (Sector Support) strand of work which supports the music education and cultural sector. On this programme you will:

• Learn the ropes of what we do

• Co-deliver consultancy projects

• Co-design and deliver training and events alongside the team

• Undertake an independent, self-led pilot project

Once the training is complete, Trainee Associates will become fully-fledged junior members of Sound Connections’ Associate Consultant pool.*

*Sound Connections Associate Consultants hold a range of different experience and expertise and have the opportunity to work with the team on a Freelance basis.

Why are we doing this?  

We want to create more opportunities for young people and emerging professionals in the Wired4Music community to contribute to, and gain experience elsewhere in, the organisation. We also want to create space for different voices, backgrounds and experiences, and support the progression of young people into Sound Connections’ sector support and consultancy work, and the wider music education and cultural sector.   

The details 

As a Trainee Associate you will get… 

1. Training in areas such as project management, facilitation skills, how to undertake research and evaluation, communications, finances and fundraising. 
2. Mentoring from a dedicated member of the team, plus we can connect you to other professionals who you want to gain some insight from.  
3. Skills development opportunities – as part of the programme you will work on a project of your choosing, co-deliver youth voice and participation training, work on a consultancy project for an external client and co-produce elements of our annual Inclusive Practice In Action event on 26 February 2026.  
4. Support – during your time with us, we’ll support you with your ambitions, whatever they may be – whether that’s getting funding for your own work, applying for a job at another organisation, developing your skills in a specific area, or something else! 
5. Paid – we will provide you with a bursary of £4,410 to cover 45 days of your time from September 2025 to March 2026 and you need to be able to be in the office (Shoreditch) on Wednesdays. After this training period is complete, you’ll then spend the following six months co-delivering and supporting our Insight work (for which you be paid as a freelancer).  

Who is it for? (The criteria)… 

We are looking for dedicated and recently active members of the Wired4Music community who meet the following criteria: 

1. You’ve taken part in a few Wired4Music opportunities, whether that’s Generate, being an event producer, performing, attending drop-ins, 1:1s with one of the W4M team, etc. 
2. You are at the upper-age limit of Wired4Music, so aged 24/25+ or you are W4M alumni up-to and including the age of 30. 
3. You have the right to work in the UK. 
4. You can commit to 45 days between September 2025 and March 2026, so around 2 days per week including one day in the office at Rich Mix per week (usually Wednesdays). The rest of your time can be remote or in the office – we’re flexible. 
5. You are passionate, hard-working, with a can-do attitude and willingness to learn and develop yourself, alongside being committed to Wired4Music and Sound Connections’ ethos. We are looking for potential and drive rather than qualifications and experience. 

Got questions?  

Get in touch with Jasmine Padda who’ll be overseeing the W4M Associates for an informal chat, we’d love to hear from you. Good luck!  

For more information on how to apply click here.

Deadline for applications is Monday 14 July 2025 at 9am.