Mark Chapman’s first step toward becoming a guitarist coincided with him receiving his first paycheck as an apprentice with OCS and the NEC Group. As a music-loving young man, working as a steward at popular music venues in Birmingham, he felt awash with inspiration. Having always wanted to pick up the guitar, the moment his first paycheck graced his account, he hopped on Amazon and ordered himself a guitar. Days later, he was teaching himself how to play. Now, a decade on, no longer an apprentice but a valued member of the Contract Support team within OCS, he’ll be performing onstage for the first time with 999 other musicians at the 1000 Lights event in Birmingham in memory of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington to raise funds for UPRAWR, a mental health charity focusing on the alt music community—a community that has been especially affected by losses from mental health issues. Mark’s story is phenomenal and is a true indicator of his determination and tenacity.
In October 2015, Mark started his professional career as a Live Events and Promotions apprentice, working in the backrooms of Birmingham venues with NEC Group, itching to sink his teeth into the world of events. Towards the end of his apprenticeship, he landed an administrative role within the team. With his background in IT, he picked up the role quickly and revolutionised ways of working, making it more efficient. He worked in the role for years, supporting reporting and scheduling until the pandemic hit in 2020, and he was furloughed as no events could take place during that time.
By January 2021, the team was ready to be reassembled with a new vision. Mark’s manager, Lucy Haddon, opened a new sub-team within the division called Contract Support, dedicated to helping event contract rollouts to the best of their ability. During this time Mark also completed a Level 3 apprenticeship in Business Administration, boosting his business acumen. With the 2022 Commonwealth Games on the horizon at the time, Mark temporarily moved over to recruitment to bolster the efforts to staff the games. By June, he moved back to workforce planning and scheduling for the games. He worked on the ground floor overseeing deployment and making sure all shift slots were filled. He reflects on this time as the most significant event he has ever been a part of, “I don’t think we’d ever done anything on that scale and to be fair, I don’t think we’ve done anything since like that.”
Shortly after the rush and success of the Commonwealth Games, the Birmingham venue hosted The Conservative Party conference. Following the two major events, things quieted down, and then Mark noticed a job role advertised for a Senior Workforce Planner for the wider business—spoiler alert, his current role—and he jumped at the opportunity. Since starting the role in March 2023, he’s enjoyed supporting the business all over the country and reconnecting with the face-to-face aspect of the role, harking back to his days as an apprentice on the ground. But truly dedicated to his consistent development, since completing his last apprenticeship in 2022 he is now in conversation with his team about starting a new apprenticeship.
As for his love of music, it goes all the way back. Growing up in a music-filled home, listening to his parents’ big stereo, which was constantly playing songs by Rod Stewart, Shania Twain, and Westlife, and with his grandparents’ love of country and jazz, he was always enveloped in music. But lightning struck when he first heard “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses, and he knew he had an affinity for the rock and metal genres. Other bands came into the mix, populating his first iPod shuffle, including Avenged Sevenfold and, of course, Linkin Park.
Working as an events apprentice at 20, connecting his love of music to his professional life, he hadn’t gotten to steward inside a concert hall yet. His first shift inside finally rolled along with the first of a few, but still iconic, farewell tours for Mötley Crüe, opened by a beloved band for Mark, Alice Cooper. He had been listening to both bands since the age of 11. The moment already felt life-altering, then Nikki Sixx, bassist for Mötley Crüe, came out and gave a speech egging the crowd on to pursue their dreams, and that cemented it for Mark. When he got paid the next day, he ordered a guitar on Amazon. Now he owns 15 guitars and has been playing for the past nine years.
On performing at the 1000 Lights event, he reflects on the impact of Chester’s passing on the alternative community, “It shocked the world. I remember the concert they put on to raise money in his memory right after; musicians from all walks of life gathered for him on short notice. There’s been a lot of people within this community affected by mental health issues. Chester’s passing really rocked the boat and brought awareness to the seriousness of mental health because nobody suspected that he had any of those thoughts.”
He hails the UPRAWR mental health foundation as a space for young children with an affinity for rock and metal music to develop their mental well-being, as a lot of mental health concerns begin in childhood. “When you’re a metalhead in school, it can feel a little bit lonely sometimes, and for a lot of people, that experience stays with them through adulthood. This charity helps those people who perhaps wouldn’t necessarily go to just any sort of therapist or group. They want one that’s designed with them in mind. People who are in their situations, people who have been through what they’ve gone through. They can build that trust with them.”
Mark will be performing on Sunday, the 18th of August, at Utilita Arena Birmingham at 1000 Lights, named after Linkin Park’s ‘One More Light’ tour, which concluded with Chester Bennington’s final-ever performance, which took place at Utilita Arena Birmingham back in 2017.
You can donate to Mark’s fundraising page here.
