GamesIndustry.biz Career Fair

Press Release

Brighton, England, August 25th, 2008: GamesIndustry.biz is delighted to announce partnerships with both Skillset and BAFTA for this year’s GamesIndustry.biz Career Fair.

The Skillset Sessions, part of Skillset’s Skills Week, will be a series of presentations for people interested in furthering their career in the games industry. Skills Week is a week-long series of free events starting October 27 for games industry professionals and aspiring new talent to network and exchange ideas about the latest developments in the games industry. The Skillset Skills Week will feature experts from across industry and academia, provide audiences with insights, contacts and experiences to find new or better jobs in the games industry.

Chris Chilton, Computer Games and Animation Manager for Skillset, says, “Skillset Skills Week brings together some of the best developers and experts from UK industry to teach, train and impart their knowledge to aspiring game makers, existing professionals wanting to get the best out of their career and their peers. The Skillset Sessions, running as part of the Career Fair are a great opportunity for students and anyone who wants a career in games to hear direct from the source what it will take to get the career they want.”

The BAFTA Surgeries will be personal hands-on sessions where aspiring games designers, programmers, musicians and artists can learn more about what is involved in a games industry career, ask questions to industry experts and see them at work.

GamesIndustry.biz editor Phil Elliott, commented "As well as a great line-up of exhibitors at the Career Fair, we're very happy to be supporting the future of the UK games industry by offering visitors a chance for an in-depth discussion on game development disciplines and feedback on their portfolios."

Toby Barnes, who is organising the Skillset Sessions on behalf of Skillset, said “Game development has one of the most diverse skills requirements of all modern media ranging from mathematicians and physicists at one end of the spectrum to actors and architects at the other.”

He added: “For the UK games industry to maintain its position as one of the world leaders, we need to diversify recruitment into these new areas while continuing to work hard with the more traditional routes into our industry such as software engineering and art skills. The Skillset Skills Week gives attendees the chance to discuss these issues and find out what it’s like working in the UK’s most exiting media industry from some of its most seasoned practitioners”.

Tricia Tuttle, Bafta’s Events Producer, added, “The GamesIndustry.biz Career Fair is a perfect opportunity for BAFTA’s Learning & Events team to put into practice our commitment to inspiring new talent by bringing them together with our membership of established professionals from the games, film and TV industries”

Tom Campbell, Head of Creative Industries at the London Development Agency, said: “We are delighted to support the Skillset Sessions - a great part of the London Games Festival. Together, the range of skills, employment and business opportunities during the festival will help to ensure that London and the UK retains its place as a global centre for the games industry.”

The GamesIndustry.biz Careers Fair 2008 is taking place on the 28th and 29th of October at the Old Truman Brewery in London. Exhibitors already confirmed include THQ, Sega, Microsoft Game Studios, Crytek, Ubisoft, Rebellion, Relentless Software, Kuju, Qantm College and more.

More information on the event can be found at:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/careerfair

http://www.skillset.org/games

http://lgfskillsweek.squarespace.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

Contacts

Skillset Media contact:

Rajiv Maharaj

Skillset Press/Pr Manager

Phone: 02077 139812

Mobile: 07968 010325

Email: rajivM@skillset.org

BAFTA:

Tricia Tuttle: TriciaT@bafta.org

GamesIndustry.biz:

Phil Elliott: phil@gamesindustry.biz

Pixel-Lab:

David Hayward: david.hayward@pixel-lab.co.uk

About GamesIndustry.biz:

GamesIndustry.biz is the market-leading online resource for news and information about the global videogames industry, covering all aspects of the interactive entertainment value chain from development through to retail. The site is UK-based, but has a significant global audience, with writers across the world who cover global events and issues. It is aimed at anyone involved with the design, development, publishing, marketing, distribution or retail of videogames - as well as anyone seeking a general insight into the sector.

www.gamesindustry.biz

About Skillset:

Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries covering Broadcast, Film, Video, Interactive Media and Photo Imaging. Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) are licensed by the UK Government and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenge by sector. SSCs are independent, UK wide organisations developed by groups of influential employers in industry or business sectors of economic or strategic significance. SSCs are employer-led and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the sector.

www.skillset.org

About Pixel-Lab:

Skillset Skills Week is co-ordinated by Pixel-Lab, a computer games and digital media development agency working across the UK’s computer game and digital media industries. Pixel-Lab advises, develops and delivers strategies to support growth in the games industry from skills development to support infrastructure. Pixel-Lab also works with organisations outside the industry, enabling them to harness the power of games.

www.pixel-lab.co.uk

About The London Development Agency:

The LDA aims to improve the quality of life for all Londoners – working to create jobs, develop skills and promote economic growth. The Skillset Sessions are being supported with £50,000 in funds from the LDA, as part of its overall programme of investment to boost the international competitiveness of London's video games industry and widening access employment opportunities in the sector to as many Londoners as possible.

www.lda.gov.uk

About BAFTA:

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image, by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. With an expert industry membership of nearly 6500 individuals, globally, we focus attention on the highest achievements of films, video games and television programmes shown in the UK each year in order to motivate and inspire those who make them, and to educate and develop the taste of those who watch and engage with them. We work closely with a number of partners to bring our in depth knowledge of the Film, TV and Video Games industries to a wide range of audiences including professionals, students, schools and career starters.

www.bafta.org/whats-on/

About London Games Festival:

The London Games Festival is a cultural and business celebration of computer and video games, reflecting their influence and importance in today’s society! The Festival, taking place from 24th October - 2nd November 2008, will feature a series of diverse events in different venues for different audiences. Whether you are a gamer, a parent seeking advice on games, a school-leaver hoping to work in the industry, or someone just wanting to find out more about how games work and where the future of entertainment will take us, this is a festival for you.

Part of the LGF includes a thriving Fringe festival of grassroots events organised by artists, academics, gaming enthusiasts, educators and a wide range of creative professionals.

The LGF is created by the London Development Agency (LDA) and with the full support of the industry and its trade bodies ELSPA and Tiga, the festival provides an exciting array of consumer and trade events in the capital.

www.londongamesfestival.com