Boot camp will help meet demand for skills in video games sector both in Leamington and nationally

Students can take their first steps into working in the video games sector both in Leamington and nationally through a production bootcamp.

The Digital Skills Academy’s new intensive training course set up in partnership with Create Central - the West Midlands trade body set up to boost the region’s film TV and games industries - has been developed against a backdrop of growing demand for skills in the video games industry during the pandemic.

Funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), the beginners’ bootcamp, which starts on Monday October 18, runs for five weeks and can be attended remotely at home.

The deadline for applications is Sunday October 3.

It is free for people living within a WMCA postcode area.

Leamington is home to the 'Silicon Spa; games cluster which is one of the nation's biggest games industry clusters outside London with more than ten per cent of the UK total games development sector based in the town.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of UK coding roles has grown by 74,000 over the last three years and now stands at over 600,000.

Fuelled by the 'digital revolution' that has gathered pace during the pandemic, skills in video games production are now in high demand and offer lucrative career routes.

Katy Urwin, who is the head of the academy, said, “This is a critical time for digital industries which urgently need to address skills shortages.

"At the same time, we know that unemployment rates for young people have increased more steeply as a result of the pandemic leading to more economic inactivity.

"Training opportunities like these are designed specifically to match new entrants to the sector with in-demand job roles.

"The Digital Skills Academy is working with a number of partners in the region including Create Central to ensure that candidates are well-prepared with the right skills to access routes into careers that will meet the growing needs of industry in the years ahead.

"We also offer less intensive online digital skills courses for beginners at Level 2 including CompTIA Fundamentals (ITF+) and students will have the opportunity to progress including on to higher education.

“Skills in video games production can provide exciting career paths and committing five weeks to testing out your skills is a valuable way of finding out whether you have got what it takes to succeed in this growing industry.”

To enquire about, or apply for, a place on the course visit [email protected]