1. “Crewing is only for certain people”
While most crewing rules do require you to be physically fit and able-bodied, you do not need to be a specific type of person or gender to work in the industry. Stereotypes can often scare people away from certain jobs as they may feel like it is not right for them based on others prejudiced attitudes - when it comes to crewing this is definitely not the case. There is a level of strength required when it comes to general labouring and crewing tasks, such as the transportation and lifting of sometimes very heavy objects or materials. Our extensive in-house training and health and safety programmes ensure that no one is ever tasked with undertaking something that they are not physically able or comfortable doing. Although working as event crew is undeniably a more active and physical role, at Alpha Crew we’ve created an environment where it is absolutely welcoming to people of all genders and walks of life.
2. “Crewing is not a career”
This is a very common misconception about working in the events industry, especially with roles such as event crew and general labourers, as sometimes this work can be less ‘regular’ and involve working unusual hours. At Alpha Crew we put passion, people and progression at the centre of everything we do. This is why in 2016, we developed our comprehensive in-house training scheme focused on development and progression for each and every individual employee. Unlike many of our competitors, we ensure all our new recruits are inducted into the company with information about our work ethic, crew rules and culture. We want to invest in every employee so that they can successfully start and grow a career with Alpha Crew. By providing support and resources to our crew, they are able to grow their career within Alpha Crew, gaining new skills and choosing their own path whether that be in lighting, sound, production management and more.
3. Having a one size fits all approach
After over 10 years of experience in the events industry, working countless jobs, with many different amazing clients and venues, we have learned that there is absolutely no one size fits all approach. We believe that the most successful events and jobs are a result of working together closely with the client to fully understand their needs and curating unique services and skills to bring their visions to life. One example of our dedicated client collaboration is with our job for Beck Interiors, where a large number of precious artifacts had to be transported safely to the Saatchi Gallery for a Tiffany & Co Exhibition. Because of their iconic importance, all had to be handled with the utmost care. This was made more difficult because the delivery yard is shared with other businesses and is opposite a residential area, limiting access to the gallery. Our crew spent five weeks carefully placing the artifacts in designated areas and 3 weeks de-rigging with a total of 8126 crew hours spent on the project overall. They went above and beyond, helping with the build; staying extra hours to complete the work. With only room for one truck in the loading bay and limited operational hours, there were significant difficulties to overcome. These were managed with daily briefs on the delivery schedule, with our client. We used floor covers throughout to protect the gallery and had to carry very large artifacts through the stairwell. Our crew completed the job before the deadline, playing a crucial role in creating a spectacular exhibition.
