Aspiring games makers will be trained under a bespoke curriculum developed by NextGen Skills Academy and Rocksteady Studios.
Warner Bros. Discovery today announced the launch of the Warner Bros. Discovery Access x Rocksteady Studios Games Academy in the UK, an innovative initiative providing focused insight into the games industry for participants who are underrepresented in the industry and have no formal training.
The programme will deliver 12 weeks of hybrid training for roles in Art, Audio, Quality Assurance Testing and Games Design through a bespoke curriculum developed in partnership with NextGen Skills Academy and Rocksteady Studios. The 20 selected participants will work on training tasks set by the Rocksteady team and take part in workshops led by industry professionals, while developing their technical skills on software like Jira and Wwise, as well as engines like Unreal. The participants will benefit from direct access to Rocksteady staff, gaining unique insight from masterclasses and feedback on their work. They will also have opportunities to build their portfolios and grow their knowledge of key practices in the industry.
The curriculum developed in partnership with NextGen Skills Academy, a leader in delivering skills-based vocational training for the creative industries, is designed to build personal and professional confidence, as well as equipping participants with up-to-date technical skills. Successful applicants will have the exciting opportunity to learn from Rocksteady Studios, developers of the multi-award-winning Batman: Arkham Trilogy.
Applications are open now for the Warner Bros. Discovery Access x Rocksteady Studios Games Academy to individuals over 18 from across the UK, particularly those who may not have access to traditional pathways into the industry, like degree courses and internship opportunities. The course is free to attend and financial assistance, including bursaries for travel or childcare, will be available. The deadline for applications is 23 September. Participants will be selected and notified in mid-October.
“We are thrilled to launch this innovative game programme in the UK, widening access to our best-in-class talent development programmes,” said Asif Sadiq, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery. “The British games industry is the biggest in Europe and we want to ensure that we’re supporting its sustainable growth while ensuring that it is an inclusive and equitable place for people to work. This programme is the first at Warner Bros. Discovery focused solely on our games business, a reflection of our commitment to creating and fostering relationships with underrepresented talent and opening up access to the industry.”
Jamie Walker, Studio Director and Co-Founder of Rocksteady Studios, said, “Budding games makers today are the future of the games industry and we have been looking for a long time to find an impactful way to help bring fresh, underrepresented talent into the games industry. There were limited training opportunities when I was starting out, so I am very passionate about finding a way to level the playing field for people starting out in the industry. This programme provides training along with a network of support to give future talent in this industry a flying start to their careers.”
Marcia Deakin, Co-Founder of NextGen Skills Academy, said: “Our work at NextGen brings us into contact with some amazing talent, but that talent doesn’t always get the opportunities to work closely with industry or to see the range of roles available to them in games. So, when Warner Bros. Discovery and Rocksteady Studios asked us to put this programme together, we were genuinely excited by the commitment of an industry-leading company to ensuring that the experience would be unique and valuable to anyone wanting to get a break into games.”