Author: Christian Beckett

500 Students to Attend Games Careers Fair for Free

As part of Games Careers Week, The National Videogame Museum is hosting a Games Careers Fair on the 22nd and 23rd June.

The event will feature feature a variety of exhibitors, including Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield College and NextGen Skills Academy alongside game studios such as Boneloaf, Wushu Studios, Real Time and Creative Assembly.

500 students from high pupil premium schools, SEND and alternative FE providers have been invited to attend the two day fair and can access STEAM based workshops for free, thanks to the generosity of headline sponsors Boneloaf, co-sponsors Sheffield Hallam University and supporters Creative Assembly. The unique workshops are created and facilitated by students
from Sheffield College alongside NextGen Skills Academy and will focus on 2D and 3D animation.

Exhibitors at the event also include Women In Games and Grads in Games who will provide help and resources to build confidence in developing portfolios, discuss interview techniques and offer advice in CV development. Sheffield United Community College will also be on hand to
demonstrate the latest career opportunities and BTEC courses available in the fast growing eSports sector, worth an estimated £1.5 billion in the UK alone. Boneloaf, will also be in attendance allowing visitors to QA Test their popular multiplayer party game, Gang Beasts.

Members of the public purchasing tickets to the museum on 22nd and 23rd June, will also be able to take advantage of games careers resources and take part in the drop-in workshops alongside exploring over 100 playable games and unique exhibitions in the museum’s galleries.

Stacey Jubb, Head of Learning at the NVM says: “Games Careers Week is an opportunity for us to celebrate the fantastic range of careers in the games industry. We are excited to be hosting a two day career fair at the NVM which will showcase alternative pathways into the industry, give
students opportunities to take part in workshops, speak to industry professionals and experience our interactive museum. If you are wanting to embark on a career in games but not sure how or where to start, our careers fair is the place to be!”

Tickets to the Museum’s afternoon sessions on the 22nd and 23rd June can be purchased  here.

Games Careers Week Returns 19th-25th June 2023

Celebrating careers in games, the week will showcase the wide array of diverse opportunities and pathways into the videogames industry.

 

Returning for its third year, Games Careers Week celebrates diverse pathways into a career in games for young people of all backgrounds, through events, media, diverse developers, and online activities.

Organised by The National Videogame Museum, the week brings together organisations, individuals and educational institutions to showcase excellence and celebrate one of the UK’s fastest growing industries, which has a market worth of over £7 billion.

The week will not only encourage and inspire young people’s passion to enter the industry but will also help parents understand the credibility of a career in games (with nearly 21,000 people employed in the games sector in the UK in 2022 – a 25% increase on the previous year.)

For 2023, The NVM, alongside partners Into Games, Grads in Games, NextGen Skills Academy and Women In Games, will deliver activities, events and resources throughout the week while encouraging studios and educational institutions to participate with their own activities in this
week-long national festival.

The NVM will host a “Why do Videogames Matter” symposium on the 21st of June in collaboration with Leeds Trinity University where academics and industry speakers will debate this provocation.

The 22nd and 23rd of June will see a careers fair inviting studios, FE and HE providers to have an exhibition stand at the museum demonstrating alternative pathways into the games industry. Students will be invited from high pupil premium schools, SEND and alternative FE providers to
discover a variety of careers and take part in STEM based workshops (created by their award winning learning team and NextGen Skills Academy).  All of which will be available to them for free with the help of headline sponsors Boneloaf, a Sheffield based indie game studio, and Sheffield Hallam University.

Into Games will organise activities aimed at FE students to help students build confidence in developing their portfolios, and taking the next steps on the games careers ladder. Women In Games run a global Ambassador Programme to build a powerful and diverse community of action, aligned and committed to achieving the vision and mission of Women in Games through meaningful collaboration and initiatives. It will be their ambassadors that will take centre stage to create and participate in activities that will be aimed at young people.

Any organisation, school, university or games studio can participate in Games Careers Week to inspire young people, parents and teachers to discover careers in games. The NVM has provided a resource pack showcasing examples of events that institutions can organise, host or promote. No matter the size of the event, Games Careers Week highlights how a little can go a long way in someone’s life. Studios could host game jams, provide expert talks or studio tours, while educational institutions can take part in online courses or design videogames using Scratch or
Twine.

Events will be added to the Games Careers Week website in the weeks leading up to the 19th June.

Stacey Jubb, Head of Learning at the NVM says: “Games Careers Week is an opportunity for us to celebrate the fantastic range of careers in the games industry. We are excited to be hosting a two day career fair at the NVM which will showcase alternative pathways into the industry, give students opportunities to take part in workshops, speak to industry professionals and experience our interactive museum. If you are wanting to embark on a career in games but not sure how or where to start, our careers fair is the place to be!”

Create and event and get involved with the Games Careers Week’s Event Resource Pack and help shape the future of young lives and the industry.