The question implied by our annual training focus, How to Choose Your Drama School, used to be a fairly straightforward one for anyone aspiring to a career on stage.

For decades, the route into a successful professional life in theatre was relatively fixed. A handful of specialist schools offered intensive, high-quality, vocational training. Some had reputations for turning out serious dramatic actors; others were known for producing ‘triple-threat’ musical theatre performers. You made your shortlist, ranked your preferences, auditioned – and hoped for the best.

That world has changed. The landscape of both the performing arts industry and the training sector that feeds it has been transformed.

For one thing, the higher education market has exploded. Many non-specialist universities now offer vocational courses recognised by industry bodies such as Spotlight and Equity.

The nature of a performer’s career has changed over time just as dramatically as actor training itself

Meanwhile, the traditional drama schools have broadened their own offer. Alongside acting and musical theatre, you’ll now find a host of new specialisms – from Applied Theatre to courses focused on screen, audio and motion-capture. The skills taught have expanded to reflect the widening definition of what performance work actually is.

There are several forces behind this shift – financial pressures on training institutions, student demand and the need for schools to stay relevant. But the main driver is clear: the nature of a performer’s career has changed just as dramatically as the training itself, perhaps even more so.

The Stage’s 145-year archive is proof that acting has never been an easy choice. Yet it’s hard to think of a time when it has been more demanding. Today’s careers are far more varied – and sustaining one requires a skill set that didn’t even exist a generation ago. The job market, meanwhile, remains as competitive as ever. The boom in training opportunities hasn’t been matched by a boom in employment – only by a diversification of it.

That’s why one of the most important things any aspiring student should seek from their chosen school is guidance in creating their own work. More than ever, actors need to be able to build, not just find, their careers.

Beyond that, one principle remains constant: there’s no such thing as the best drama training – only the best training for you. If you have decided that you want to go to drama school – and it’s worth under­lining that this is not an absolute prerequisite of success – start by asking what kind of career you want to build, and let that guide you.