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Gaming Job Resources:
Scholarships, Grants & Guidance, Educational Tools & Networking Hubs
Embarking on a journey into video gaming, I was initially uncertain about the skills I needed to acquire. Finding gaming job resources was complex. The allure of creating games drew me in, but the specifics of my path remained foggy. My initial gaming internship provided some direction, yet the roadmap to establishing myself post-graduation remained unclear.
Venturing into game production, I realized that the initial career phase can be challenging. From acquiring the right skills to networking and securing mentorship, the path seemed daunting. Attending a gaming conference and connecting with developers also posed financial challenges.
With this post, my intention is to illuminate this path for budding game creators to find gaming job resources. By sharing my experiences, I hope to help others navigate their journey more efficiently and avoid pitfalls. Below, I’ve compiled a set of resources to aid those aiming to carve a niche in the gaming world:
Gaming Job Resource Categories:
- Scholarships, Grants & Guidance
- Educational Tools
- Networking Hubs
Please note that this compilation isn’t exhaustive, and I don’t have affiliations with the mentioned entities. These are merely suggestions to kickstart your journey.
Scholarships, Grants:
- 1000 Dreams Fund: Provides scholarships, grants, mentorship, and events catering to female students.
- Entertainment Software Association Foundation: Offers scholarships, grants, mentorship, and events for female and minority students.
- Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Foundation: Provides scholarships, mentorship, educational summits, and organizes a game industry race for students.
- American Institute of Graphic Arts: A community of designers offering scholarships, resources, tools, and networking opportunities.
- International Game Developers Association Foundation: Offers scholarships, stipends, mentorship, workshops, and resources for students.
- Build Your Future by Google: Google’s initiative provides learning materials, scholarships, and career boosts for young tech enthusiasts.
Mentorship & Guidance Programs:
- Women in Games International’s Mentorship Program: A free mentorship program for aspiring game developers to kickstart or boost their careers in games.
- Amir Satvat’s Mentorship Directory An awesome resource from Amir Satvat – a directory of game industry mentor volunteers. Includes mentors from indie companies to AAA studios, and from entry-level roles to C-suite. All are available for 30-minute career discussions and mentorship.
Educational Tools:
- Udemy: Online platform offering courses in game design, programming, art, and more.
- Khan Academy: Free courses on game theory, design, programming, etc. I’ve personally benefited from their programming modules.
- Code Academy: Free platform for learning game development and programming.
- EDX Online Classrooms: Features both paid and free courses on game development from global institutions.
- Coursera: Offers both paid and free courses from renowned institutions on game development.
- Skillshare: provides free courses in game design, programming, and art.
Networking Hubs For Gaming Enthusiasts:
- Reddit: A treasure trove of game development communities like: /r/LearnProgramming, /r/GameDesign, /r/GameJams, /r/OpenGL, /r/GameProduction/, /r/GameDevClassifieds, /r/DevBlogs, /r/LevelDesign, /r/GameAudio, /r/TrueGameDev, /r/TheMakingOfGames, r/JustGameDevThings, and many more.
- Game Dev League on Discord: A vibrant server boasting over 55K members, with channels covering diverse game development topics and regular events.
- Indie Game Developers on Facebook: A thriving community with over 123K global members discussing game development and indie projects.
- Meetup GameDev Groups: Meetup platform hosts numerous game development gatherings, providing a space for enthusiasts to connect and share insights.
- Women in Games WIGJ WIGJ is a non-profit organization and community of game makers that seeks a games industry, culture and community free of gender discrimination.
- Black Girl Gamers is a community intended as an online safe space for black women in gaming. With over 9,000 members on Facebook and more than 50,000 followers across its online channels, the inclusive group advocates for workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Embarking on this journey can be challenging, but with the right gaming job resources and determination, success is achievable.
Top Tips for Applying and Landing a Gaming Job
Lastly, here are is a summarized version of my top tips for applying and landing a job in the video game industry:
- Apply, apply, apply. This is simple, but it’s true. It’s a statistical fact that if you keep applying, you will eventually succeed.
- Do your research prior to applying and send tailored applications for the roles that interest you.
- Make sure your resume, LinkedIn, and online portfolio are all up to date and represent what YOU as an individual can contribute.
- Keep an open mind about roles and locations. The job you get offered might not be the exact role you were looking for, but it could provide opportunities you haven’t necessarily considered at first.
- Network with people who are where you want to be and learn from them. Look into what they’ve done to get to where they are now.
- Reach out to recruiters to inquire about open roles in an engaging, respectful way.
Good luck!
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