5225-NOC

Audio and video recording technicians

(NOC 5225)
Annual Earnings
$67,782
Typical Education Background
Diploma/Certificate Excluding Apprenticeship
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
1,490

Career Overview

Audio and video recording technicians operate equipment to record, mix and edit sound, music and videotape for motion pictures, television and radio programs, videos, recordings and live events.

People in this career:

  • Work for film, video and concert production companies, sound recording firms, theatre and dance companies, clubs, bands, multimedia companies, radio stations, television networks and video production and editing companies
  • Must have good manual dexterity and an aptitude for working with electrical, electronic, and mechanical systems and equipment
  • Should have mathematical ability
  • Should be physically fit and able to lift heavy objects
  • Should be comfortable working at heights
  • Should also have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Duties

Audio and video recording technicians perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Set up, prepare, operate and adjust audio, recording, editing and reproducing equipment to record, edit and reproduce sound input or feed of pre-recorded material from tapes, records, compact discs, digital audio devices, and input from live microphones, satellites or microwave trucks for films, videos, radio and television programs and recordings
  • Prepare and operate videotape recording and playback equipment to record videos, television programs, concerts and live events, and to edit video tape after production
  • Operate electronic equipment to generate program titles, credits, subtitles, graphic backgrounds or animation for television programs
  • Operate audio consoles or computers, tape machines, microphones and sound processing equipment to mix, combine and edit music and sound at concerts and live events
  • Operate dubbing machines to play back edited dialogue, music and sound effect tracks from different sources, in synchronization with motion picture film
  • May supervise and coordinate the work of other audio and video recording technicians

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$67,782

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$45.85/hr
Median$32.50/hr
Low$20.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

2,600

% Employed Full Time

45%
Source: 2016 Census

Audio and video recording technicians work indoors in small sound studios or at live events, such as concerts, meetings and conferences. Travel is required in order to work on location.

Audio and video recording technicians who work at large stations or networks usually work 40 hours per week, with occasional overtime. Those who work on motion pictures may be on a tight schedule and work long hours to meet deadlines.

Career Pathways

With appropriate education and experience, audio and video recording technicians may progress to senior or supervisory positions (i.e., recording and sound engineers) or start their own businesses.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Realistic
Realistic

Job Titles

Audio recording studio
Colour timer - video
Dubbing machine
Editor, ENG (electronic news gathering)
Editor, postproduction / VTR
Engineer, sound - recording studio
Librarian - audio and video recording
Master record cutter
Playback
Recorder / recordist, audio / sound
Sound recorder / recording engineer
Sound-recording / sound-editing
Specialist, digital effects
Specialist, sound - cutter / keyer / mixer
Technician - multimedia / sound-effects
Technician, AV (audiovisual)
Technician, video
Video-recording / video-editing

Education, Training and Skills

Completion of a one- to three-year certificate, diploma or degree program in audio and video recording or a related program is required. Paid or volunteer experience as a recording studio assistant is also usually needed.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Broadcasting Related
  • Integrated/Multimedia
EducationPlannerBC Logo
Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

65%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

64%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

61%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

59%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

59%
Operation Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.

56%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

54%
Judgment and Decision-Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

54%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

53%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

53%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

2,600
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo N/A 0.0%
Kootenay 50 1.8%
Mainland/Southwest 2,650 86.5%
North Coast and Nechako N/A N/A
Northeast N/A 0.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 140 4.1%
Vancouver Island/Coast 240 7.2%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2022-2032)

1,490
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo N/A N/A
Kootenay 0 1.8%
Mainland/Southwest 1,350 2.8%
North Coast and Nechako N/A N/A
Northeast N/A N/A
Thompson-Okanagan 70 2.0%
Vancouver Island/Coast 60 0.4%
N/A: Data is not available for this region.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Information, Culture and Recreation57,300
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services148,000
Retail Trade115,500
Educational Services64,500
Finance, insurance and real estate50,900
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources