On Saturday 16th October Creative Futures joined forces with ScreenSkills and other game industry partners, to host events showcasing career opportunities within the games industry in Leamington Spa.

Building on previous successful events, the Creative Futures team approached ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the screen industries, which includes film, television, VFX, animation, and games, to host an event focussed on the games cluster in Leamington Spa.

ScreenSkills support future innovation and growth across the regions by investing in people who are critical to UK screen industries global success. They also provide career development opportunities to help people enter and progress within the industry. 

Creative Futures acts as a gateway between University of Warwick and the creative industries across Coventry and Warwickshire, focusing on the gaming cluster in Leamington Spa, the largest outside Greater London.

ScreenSkills Event at Leamington Spa

Creative Futures and ScreenSkills worked with both their national and regional partners including NextGen Skills Academy, the BGI, Into Games and regional organisations such as Create Central, and Coventry & Warwickshire LEP, welcoming pupils from local schools and people looking for a career in the games industry.

The morning masterclass, Careers in the Games Industry: Where, Why and What? was hosted by TV presenter Jordan Erica Webber. Pupils from local schools were impressed with the event and provided overwhelmingly positive feedback. One pupil said: “The best thing was learning about the variety of careers in the gaming industry,” and another said: “I really enjoyed the panel talk as it gave us insight to what the industry is like.”

Careers in the Games Industry catch-up video

Charlotte Pook, Electric Square: providing world-class console game development.

The afternoon masterclass, Pathways into the Games Industry: Jobs, Skills and CVs was hosted by Rick Gibson from the BGI and an expert panel, who shared their own career journeys and gave advice and tips on CV’s, approaching employers, and what to put in a portfolio. The event was widely received, and Creative Futures was praised for inspiring not only the “Silicon Spa” audience but those who wish to enter the industry. 

Pathways into the Games Industry catch-up video

“Now is a great time for opportunities within the games industry.” Marcia Deakin, Co-Founder NextGen Skills Academy.