Students have been taking their first steps in the music industry thanks to a work experience scheme.

Crawley-based TSC Music has teamed up with schools to provide work experience.

General manager Andrew Abdool said good planning ensured the company and the students got as much as possible from the scheme.

He said: "We make sure we've got a fair idea what the student might be interested in.

"Invariably, they want to spend more time in the music production department than administration or marketing and we try to accommodate that. But the main thing is to give them an overview of the industry and the processes involved in what we do."

The company provides special long-play CDs and players to High Street clients, such as H Samuel and McDonald's.

Mr Abdool said students often followed a product from start to finish - learning the art of sound engineering, mixing and CD duplication as well as the administrative side.

Edd Legg, 15, from Imberhorne School, East Grinstead, is studying music GCSE. He wants to do an A-level in music technology and go to university to study music technology before embarking on a career in the business.

He said: "It was a great week and a good introduction to the world of work.

"I was working in the music library helping to compile these eight-hour long CDs and learning how to dub swear words, and other bits you don't want, from songs.

"I didn't know the first thing about it but now I've got an idea about what's involved."

Edd, who lists punk bands Blink 182, Green Day and Sum 41 as his musical influences, said he would keep in touch with the company and wouldn't mind doing something similar as a full-time job, although he plays drums in a band and wants to concentrate on that.

Mr Abdool said: "A lot of the students who come here are involved in making their own music and we can show them how to make a demo, a bit of music production and how CDs get duplicated. Some of the students keep in touch and even ask to come back during school holidays.

"We've been lucky with the students we've had. They turn up early and stay late and are enthusiastic, which is just what you need to succeed in this business."