How to break into your industry while at school
Hello again! This week I’ll be talking about how you can break into your prospective industry while still at school.
I’ll be using my experience with the video game industry as an example, but the tips are general enough that they should apply to other industries as well.
The biggest thing about becoming better at something is to do it a lot. This is especially true for game development. Do whatever will help you make games. Look into clubs and classes that focus on providing you with the tools to create the games you want to make. Participate in a Ludum Dare, the Global Game Jam and/or Victoria’s local game jam, the Orcajam!
Keep an eye out for opportunities! There are plenty of scholarships every year for specific industries, especially for aspiring game developers. Often, these are focused on sending you to important networking events instead of the usual chunk of money. Make sure to apply to the IGDA scholar program and watch game developer news sites for the many others that are out there!
Attend Victoria tech events. Victoria has a thriving tech industry, with game development contributing hugely to that success. There are many events thrown by local companies or organizations which are a ton of fun and a great way to meet people off campus who are interested in the same activities as you!
Hopefully you found the tips useful. If you’ve had a different experience in your field of study or have additional tips, I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Top image: courtesy of Axel Pfaender, via Flickr, Creative Commons license
Hi Dylan,
Great post! This is a question every student should ask themselves.
As a business student, I heard my professors talk a lot about the benefits of joining professional affiliations. Are there local affiliations in Victoria for the video gaming industry or the computer science industry as a whole?
Hi Dorothy, great question!
There are two major organizations in Victoria that are important for the Victoria tech industry. The first is ViaTec, an organization that runs a local job board, offers space for tech events, and runs an “accelerator”- a program that offers funding and mentorship to Victoria startups.
The second is the Victoria chapter of the International Game Developers Association, who run regular networking and professional development events.
Thanks for the additional information, Dylan!