Most entertainment industry professionals are contingent workers, i.e. people who are employed on a project basis and are, therefore, constantly looking for work. Because of the strong competition and high unemployment rate, entertainment industry professionals often need to have parallel careers. Many of the skills which entertainment industry professionals practice – communication skills, discipline, creativity, flexibility, professionalism – are highly valued in the broader labor market. The Actors Fund has recognized the need to assist our community in identifying and obtaining non-industry work that is rewarding and complements an individual’s entertainment industry career. The Fund also recognizes that entertainment industry professionals need employment that not only helps pay the bills but feeds the soul.

The Fund’s Actors Work Program is a comprehensive workforce development program providing career counseling, job training, and job placement to help clients find work that can be done while continuing in the entertainment industry or while developing a new professional direction.

The Fund has special services for AIDS Initiative clients who are able to return to the workforce or engage in meaningful activities. The AIDS Training and Education Project (ATEP) assists clients in assessing their health status and its relationship to work, exploring possible career/job/volunteer opportunities, and analyzing the challenges and issues of returning to the workplace.