A national report which revealed a skills gap in the UK's
booming games industry highlighted that at least one English
university is successfully meeting the education - Birmingham City
University.
Gamer Camp, a set of highly practical training schemes for game
developers at Birmingham City University, has been recommended as
an example of good practice in an official review, known as the
Livingstone-Hope report, published by the National Endowment for
Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA).
The project - which is linked to global giants Sony and
Microsoft - is also featured in an accompanying film, which praised
the Gamer Camp course for the enabling students to "top up their
degree" before finding a job in industry.
Minister for Culture, Communications and the Creative Industries
Ed Vaizey MP, who instigated the skills report, was himself
impressed by Gamer Camp on an earlier fact-finding visit to
Birmingham City University - and said he would like to see a
version extended out nationally into schools.
Gamer Camp is an advanced finishing school for talented
game-makers and has been moulded to plug the industry's skills gap
that the Livingstone-Hope highlighted.
The three Gamer Camp courses - Nano, Mini and Pro - have been
created through close partnerships with leading companies,
including household names Sony and Microsoft, plus global players
in the sector based on the University's own doorstep - such as
games developers Codemasters, Blitz Games Studios, Rare and
Freestyle Games (1).
Industry veterans Ian Livingstone and Alex Hope, who authored
the NESTA review, recognise in their report that Gamer Camp is
giving budding games artists and coders 'real world' preparation
for a career in the multi-games industry.
"We are delighted that the NESTA report recognised the excellent
work being led at Birmingham City University to support this
important sector," said Oliver Williams, Associate Director of NTI
Birmingham, the University's media and training studio which hosts
Gamer Camp.
"Our commitment to meeting the real needs of industry and
working in partnership with sector leaders is helping to drive our
innovation in education."
Oliver explained that partner businesses such as Sony and
Microsoft supported Gamer Camp through supplying the latest
development equipment and brand association, while developers offer
invaluable expertise and mentoring both before and during each
course.
Recently launching new course dates for its three courses in
2011: Nano (July), Mini (June to August) and Pro (September 2011 to
May 2012), students will develop games for smartphones, Sony PSPGo,
and Xbox360 and Playstation3 respectively.