The entertainment industry is home to a number of different labor unions that provide career support for professional actors and musicians, as well as various technical professions. These organizations are a valuable resource for artists of all types, helping them manage and protect their interests throughout the length of their career.

Unions themselves also provide a rewarding career outlet for those looking to work in the management side of the industry, and following his graduation from Full Sail’s online Entertainment Business Master’s Degree Program, Jeremy Swearin chose to enter this field with an internship at the American Federation of Musicians, the largest union representing professional musicians in the United States.

The AFM assists artists in different areas of their careers, including such services as negotiating fair contracts, protecting their rights to their compositions, lobbying politicians, and improving benefits packages. As a musician himself Jeremy was excited about using his Entertainment Business education to pursue a legal support role in the industry.

“It was awesome to learn about negotiations that the union gets involved in,” he says. “It has been a great feeling to be able to contribute to discussions and just learn.”

Jeremy has also used the experience to reach out to different music communities across the country. Recently, he traveled to Los Angeles to visit the local AFM chapter on the West Coast, one of the largest branches with 5,000 members. While there he met with many talented musicians and was able to network through opportunities provided through the union.

“It was great meeting others members, getting involved and networking,” he says. “I was nervous but knew that I would fit in as I am able to adapt to just about any environment. Making a good first impression was important, as was professionalism, which were both things discussed at Full Sail.”

Always looking for new challenges, Jeremy is already set begin his second music internship after completing his time at AFM – working at Slip-N-Slide Records, where he’ll be assisting in their social media development. With his career quickly taking shape, he’s grateful for how his education has allowed him to progress, as well as affording him ample travel opportunities.

“My involvement in education has allowed me to travel, and I can truly say that music has been an ambassador to interact with others easily,” he says “I’m open to pretty much anything.”