How my ATAR led me to a career in radio and event production

With the stress and anxiety of ATARs approaching, we reached out to Collarts Audio Production alumnus Chris Barks to learn how his career has developed since completing his high school studies. Chris, who is now a Broadcast Technician at ACE Radio, emphasises that an ATAR score is not the sole determinant of future success, and there are multiple pathways to achieving your career goals.

What was your ATAR score, and how did it influence your decision to pursue a creative career?

55.55. Ideally, I wanted to be a pilot and fly airplanes as a career. I began flight training at 14 (Year 7 in high school) and got my license after my 16th birthday (Year 9). This had set me up to continue with more training after school, but during my VTAC application, a commercial aviation medical check revealed I had a colour deficiency.

I quickly changed my course selection to Collarts. A creative career was already on my mind! 

Do you feel your ATAR score has had any impact on your career path? Why or why not?

Absolutely not. The ATAR doesn’t reflect your skill set beyond school. On the day my ATAR was released, I even called VTAC to ask why my pilot’s license couldn’t be factored into my score—unsurprisingly, they wouldn’t budge. To this day, I still think it’s absurd.

The ATAR also doesn’t reflect who you are as a person, which I find ridiculous. You may not have top marks on paper, but if you’re willing to learn and focus on a specific skill, you can succeed in jobs that might have originally required a high ATAR. 

How has your journey at Collarts equipped you with the skills and experience needed in the industry, regardless of your ATAR?

Pro Tools has been especially valuable in my role. There are only a select few of us across the network with the Pro Tools qualification—I’m the only one on my team—which has proven to be incredibly useful. I’ve been fortunate to gain much of my experience on the job, whether through various projects, my business, or working at gigs, making my journey through the course much easier.

What advice would you give to year 12 students about the pressure of getting a high ATAR in pursuing a creative career?

Just do your best; it’s not the end of the world. Seriously, it’s not. 

Some people I know who received similar ATARs have gone on to become veterinarians. My ATAR doesn’t reflect my skills in flying and aviation or all the related knowledge, such as weather, physics, engines and mechanics, air law, RF and propagation for communication, human factors, stress management, and, of course, a lot of math—there’s so much more to it!

Do you believe creativity, talent, and hard work can outweigh traditional metrics like the ATAR in the creative industries? 

Absolutely. There’s no doubt in my mind. While I may have received a low ATAR, within less than a year of starting my job in radio during COVID, I was nominated for an ACRA (the Logies of Radio) for Audio Production and had the opportunity to go to Sydney for the event—an achievement in itself.

Some might argue that you need a high ATAR to get into broadcast engineering, but that’s simply not true.

As long as you’re willing to put in the effort and show a readiness to learn, you’re all set.

VTAC PREFERENCES

AUDIO PRODUCTION