More than 7,500 students visited Music Live’s Education Day at the NEC Birmingham last year, comfortably the largest ever gathering of young musicians in the UK. This year, the music trade show opens its doors to schools and colleges on Friday, November 8 for what should be an exciting mix of entertainment, education and career opportunities.

There’s an opportunity to get your hands on new kit, talk to musicians and technicians, attend workshops and win one of the many prizes on offer. Most of the big manufacturers will be exhibiting and many promise live performances.

Jan Osborne teaches history of popular music and is a course co-ordinator at Coleg Gwent, the largest further education college in Wales, which offers BTEC diplomas in performing arts music and music practice. She’ll be taking her students to the show again this year. “Going to the music show exposes students to the equipment and instruments available.”

Seeing the same lighting boards and mixing desks at the show, says Jan, also made students realise they really were working with industry standards on campus. But the big bonus of Education Day is that all the attendees are students, so “they’re not put off by other, more advanced musicians”.

The music industry is one of the largest employers in the UK, encompassing performers, sound and lighting technicians, DJs, broadcasters and a range of ancillary trades, such as instrument-making, publishing, public relations and software development. It’s often a shock for students whose only previous contact with the business has been a visit to the local music shop to realise the size of the industry and the employment potential within it.

A seminar run by The Academy of Contemporary Music will cover different aspects of the industry, with leading producers Pete Kirtley and Tim Hawes showing how to write and record a hit. Industry expert Dennis Collopy will show students what goes on behind the scenes and suggest ways of getting into the business.

This year, for the first time, Education Day includes specialist seminars, workshops and clinics with professional musicians. Epiphone, for example, is running a seminar that features new guitar teaching techniques. This will be hosted by session guitarist Robbie Gladwell. Any teacher attending will have the chance of winning one of six Epiphone acoustic guitars for their school. Guitar makers Gibson will host a session demonstrating how a one of their instruments is made.

Internet company eBay and the Prince’s Trust are promoting a charity auction of musical equipment and memorabilia,with many items signed by famous performers. Bidding starts for some items at pound;1, but expect offers to be substantially more by the final round of offers which takes place during the show.

Many DJs will be pitching their tents at DJVillage. It’s promised by the organisers that “every genre of house music, garage, techno, trance, hardcore oldskool, electro, disco, funk, soul and hip-hop” will be represented. There will also be performances throughout the day.

The skills displayed by DJs on show last year were one of the things that most impressed Adam Lane, head of music technology at Callington Community College, Cornwall. “Seeing DJing done properly, it’s easy to understand why people claim it’s an art form. Lots of children like to scratch and mix and they really enjoyed the live performances.” It’s a five-hour drive from school to Birmingham, but Lane says it’s worth the effort. He also points out that it presents an excellent opportunity to catch up with the latest software such as Cubase and Sibelius.

FM radio stations Galaxy and Heart will broadcast throughout the show and visitors to Education Day will have the opportunity to get on board the Sound Bus and find out how radio broadcasting works. Sound technicians from the FM teams will offer help burning a CD. Additionally, Galaxy DJ Asher is presenting an interactive workshop on radio and will talk about her experiences in the industry.

Competitions? Too many to mention. Suffice to say that with a lot of luck and perseverance you could pick up enough gear to set up a school or college band. Prizes are on offer from companies such as Tascam, Peavey, Lowden, Orange Amplification, Ashdown, Elixir Strings, Rotosound, Epiphone, Carlsboro and Marshall. You could win a Roland workstation by simply visiting their stand. Guitarist Magazine will stage the grand finals of Young Guitarist of the Year and Total Guitar magazine will test musical knowledge, with their Music Live Music Quiz, for the chance to win some great prizes for schools.

A word of advice: unless you’re an Oasis fan stay away from the Elixir Strings stand. Budding guitarists, students or teachers will have the opportunity to pick up a free set of strings by simply playing a favourite riff from a “classic” Oasis track on the Elixir stand on Education Day. Anyone for Wonderwall at 200 decibels?

With more than 130 exhibitors, Music Live caters for all aspects of music making. One notable absentee is Yamaha, presently running its Yamaha Alive workshops in schools.

Further details: www.yamaha-music.co.uknews

Tickets: pound;3. Tickets are limited to 7,500. For details visit Music Live www.musiclive.co.uk

Music auction: www.ebay.co.ukmusiclivewww.musiclive.co.uk

Callington Community College www.callingtocommunitycollege.co.uk Coleg Gwent

www.coleggwent.ac.uk