For years, the November Mix has focused on audio education, and in the past, I've written on the subject as an outsider. However, after a year of part-time teaching, I have a new perspective.

There were few audio schools when most seasoned audio pros began their careers, leading some to be pessimistic about the value or necessity of a formal audio education. Today, it's becoming more difficult to place an increasing number of graduates at a dwindling number of major recording facilities, so the question is whether audio schools provide the skills and experience to succeed as an audio professional.

Prior to this past year, I often answered this question by suggesting buying some gear and learning by doing. In reality, it's probably easier to get a loan for college than it is to secure a loan for equipment and far easier for a parent to justify an investment in education rather than buying some very expensive toys.

Pro audio has always been an entrepreneurial industry — many people begin by freelancing, eventually starting their own businesses — and so for some, the goal is to be self-employable. It may be the hardest job to master, but it's the most effective way to learn. As an added benefit, you can't pass the buck: There's no one to blame but yourself for lack of success.

But whatever path is chosen, experience is still the best teacher. There's far more to learn than simply running the gear, not the least of which is that gear alone is not the key to one's success.

Some students really need help in terms of direction, focus and staying the course. The educational environment provides the map, focusing a student's attention on the essentials: technique, hardware, software and hopefully some psychology and business skills. Schools let students make mistakes without the pressure of earning a living and without the scrutiny of paying customers. It also helps students determine which facet of the biz they are good at. One close-to-graduating student learned that his strength was not engineering, production or maintenance, but business. Fortunately, our school was able to nurture that facet. (See “Career Tips for Real-World Employment.”)

Before recording schools became common, our industry attracted music and audio enthusiasts. Going to school may be the fast-track to learning the essentials — certainly easier and more fun than cleaning ashtrays at the Record Plant — but the reality check occurs when it's time to find a job. For as much love and passion anyone can have for this career choice, it still requires as much tenacity as you can muster.

Trust your instincts. Anything that makes you work too hard is reason to stop and regroup. Try to be picky about the people you work with. That may seem like a tall order, but working with quality people makes you look better as an engineer.