Shane Simmonds
Shane is a teacher in the Melbourne Polytechnic’s sound production department. He teaches many different courses but specialises in live audio training. He has more than 30 years experience as either a performing musician or sound engineer. Shane has worked and toured with many different artists across most genres of live entertainment. He has mixed and tour managed shows that have traversed the countryside from Sydney Entertainment Centre to Darwin Arts festival. Shane has very strong industry contacts and brings his industry experience to the classroom by training people to working standard. He also takes his classroom to the industry, with field trips and excursions visiting many of Melbourne’s larger venues, including The Forum, The Regent Theatre, Princess Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre.
Shane has worked as a sound and audio trainer since the early 1990s and has taught for many TAFEs, private providers, and for his own self-managed businesses. Shane engages his students by encouraging them to learn in a hands-on environment. He believes that live audio can best be learnt by pressing buttons, pushing faders and making mistakes. He enjoys watching students learn and grow into the sound production field. Shane’s extensive industry network helps his students to find real life workplace experience, and many of his students go on to work in the industry as soon as their study finishes.
Shane holds all current industry VET qualifications including the Certificate IV and the Diploma of VET Practice. Shane also has all necessary industry qualifications including - White Card, Elevated Work platform, Forklift License, High Risk License, Work at Heights, Test and Tag, as well as an Advanced Diploma of Sound Production. In addition to this, Shane is an accomplished saxophone player completing all of his A.M.EB. grade exams before leaving high school.