Tiga research questions value of games courses

Ongoing research by Tiga is questioning the value of videogame courses, with developers informing the association that graduates are leaving education lacking employable skills.

Tiga CEO Fred Hasson likening the proliferation of academic options to the influx of media courses that swamped universities in the early 1990's, as the UK now offers videogame courses at over 80 different institutions.

Tiga is in talks with government departments and helping with a Green Paper to be published later this year looking at changes and opportunities for the UK's creative industries.

"What companies have been telling us is that very few of those graduates that come out of 'so-called' games courses are fit for purpose," revealed Hasson, during a speech at yesterday's Northern Exposure conference.

"In fact one quote we had back from a company was, 'we don't know if we'd even use them for QA'."

"We've been telling [the government] that the games courses that are out there - there's a sense of deja vu of the media courses that came up in the early and mid nineties for television and film producers."

"Basically, these courses are a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but no basic foundations for a skill set," said Hasson.

However, the Tiga boss is clear that speaking frankly with the government is essential in order for the games industry to be heard amongst rival creative sectors.

"For better or for worse, the games industry is lumped in with all the other creative industries," commented Hasson.

"We have contributed quite significantly because it's the best thing we're going to get. If we don't tell the government what we want then they're not going to listen," he added.