Internships > Graduates

Audio Recording Internships

Use What You Learned and Get Real Life Experience

The Conservatory’s audio recording Internship Program is the only one of its kind in U.S. audio education. As requirement for graduation, this program gives you the opportunity to gain a real world perspective on what you’ve learned and increase your confidence by working in a real recording studio. It also gives you a foot in the door to an industry that has become increasingly selective when choosing prospective employees.

Audio Recording Internships provide the student with a valuable real world educational experience. Students apply practical skills and techniques in the field and develop an understanding of day-to-day facility operations and protocol through hands on, in-studio experience.

Internships are set up with the aid of our Student Services Department. Each student designs their own internship according to their wishes. The Conservatory does not have a list of ‘ready internships.’ We are unique in the music recording field in the U.S. because we make phone calls according to the career desires of each student until they are placed. This makes it YOUR internship for a career YOU are designing!

Audio Recording Internship FAQ

Where can I do my internship?

Conservatory students work with the Student Services Department throughout the course of the program to determine what recording or audio engineering internship opportunities will be available to them after they finish classes. The student’s interests, grades, and attendance will dictate what kind of internship they are eligible for. Students are able to obtain internships in cities across the country. However, we recommend students who choose a career path working in music recording studios go to cities such as Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, and Chicago as they offer the highest concentration of audio jobs in the entertainment and music industry. 

How long is the internship?

Students are required to complete 280 internship hours in order to graduate. Students are allowed to complete a portion of their IN101 required hours on campus and through various internship opportunities in the Phoenix area. Following class completion, any remaining IN101 and IN201 internship hours must be fulfilled off campus within 12 weeks.

What companies accept interns?

Conservatory students have completed internships with recording studios, post production facilities, live sound companies and venues, record labels, gear manufactures, a/v companies, and many other facets of the audio industry.  Some internships may require specific job skills as well. 

Does the Conservatory set up the internship?

Yes.  We will work with you during your time on campus to develop a thorough list of studios you would like to intern at in a chosen city.  Once you arrive in your destination city, we will start making phone calls to see what kinds of internships are available.  You need to be in the city before we make calls!

Where will I live during my internship?

Start planning now!  The worst thing you can do while starting your career is hold yourself back from going where you want because of finances.  Plan now for 6 months to a year of interning beyond the schools requirements. You may want to think about where you have family and friends.  Crashing on a couch for a few months is not a bad thing!  A lot of students end up going to the same cities and rooming up with each other as well.

Can I set up my own recording internship?

No.  Unless you have a personal connection in the industry, we will make the first contact.  We have plenty of connections in the industry and we want you to get the gig of your dreams, but we need to make sure we maintain a professional relationship with these facilities.  Every studio is different and our Student Services department is great at figuring out the best way to approach each specific studio with the idea of taking you on as an intern.