Please Send This Form to Jonathan Hardwick (Professional Development Manager) and Natalie s1

External CPD report

IF staff: Terry Davy Young and Anna Jones

Title, date and timings of external CPD attended: Computer Gaming and Digital Careers, Insight Event.

Wednesday 15th February 2017, Ticketmaster, 4 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9HF

What you learnt and how it will enhance your work for Inspiring Futures:

1. Careers within the gaming industry

2. Careers within digital technology, gaming, VR and robotics

3. Skills required to get into the gaming industry

4. Contacts with those in gaming and the VR industry

5. Educational routes into gaming and the digital industries.

Ideas and content to share with colleagues:

1. Careers in gaming include programming and coding, design, scriptwriting, art, animation, audio development, testing and production.

2. Prospective employees should show skills such a good team player, resilience, good communication and good presentation skills.

3.Prospective employees should have a real passion for games – make things and develop their own games.

4.Prospective employees should network, get internships and attend gaming festivals.

Summary of external CPD:

Dr. Siobhan Thomas – BA (Hons) Games Design and Development – London South Bank Univerity

 The course has been established for 10 years.  It is an award winning course – 2016 TIGA  Staffed by people from the games industry  The course includes design of games for different platforms – computer, arcade, consoles and mobiles.  The course includes animation, 3D modelling, scriptwriting and design.  Work experience in companies such as Nintendo, Bethesda, Sony, BAFTA and Eurogamer  Applicants may not be individually interviewed, but may be invited in for a quick questioning session with their portfolio Applicants should have:  A passion for gaming – not just watching but playing and designing  Make practical things  Be committed  Can meet deadlines and dates  Independent  Portfolio of work  Good presentation skills  Are able to talk about their skills  Be prepared to do presentations  Creativity  Thoughtful and considered  Can work in groups  Can take criticism  Can talk knowledgeably about existing games  Attend the Independent Games Festival

Pamela Jordan – Ada National College for Digital Skills, Tottenham, North London adacollege.org.uk

 The College is one of 5 colleges nationally and in Ghana  The College was named after Ada Lovelace (1815-52), a computer pioneer  The College offers Sixth Form Curriculum Pathways including BTEC level 3 Computing; ‘A’ levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Business, Graphics and Psychology plus an EPQ;  Progression is to university, Higher Apprenticeships and employment.  Good contacts with employers in social media, graphics, e-commerce, games development and on-line marketing.  The College has charitable status and its partners include Deloittes, Bank of America and IBM.

Meet the Professionals – A networking session with Computer industry professionals: Pawel Pieciak, Chief Games Creator, 2P Games Ltd  Started his career as an Electronics Engineer  Taught himself programming  Had a real passion for games  Has published 2 books  Now works as a freelance games developer Steve Dann – CEO Amplified Robot

 Skills required for the industry include artistic ability, computer coding and project management.  Robotic headsets are likely to take off, not just for open space gaming but for use in other areas. For example, to support the elderly to enhance their quality of life.  Headset are likely to evolve into contact lenses  Smell, taste and facial movements to be developed  China is likely to have 10,000 VR arcades in the next 5 years Luke Robson, Animator, Hammerhead VR and Thomas Codling, Teeside University  Both studied at Teeside University  Specialise in animation  Recommend that prospective applicants make things and develop their own games  Internships – keep trying to get these  Network and attend gaming events  Be good in a team and be able to do presentations David Arnold – Games Designer – Preloaded Games  Games development is likely to enter the world of education and technology  Applicants to show passion for gaming  Applicants to show resilience

This should include links to sources of information and presentations should be sent as attachments for circulation to colleagues.

Please send this form to Jonathan Hardwick (Professional Development Manager) and Natalie Kaplanski (Human Resources Manager) as soon as possible after the CPD.