An industry is only as good as the experience of its workforce, and there's little doubt that the education sector plays a vital role in the games industry's growth and success. For many game development students across Australia graduating from their multi-year courses this month, it's a time for celebration, but they do so knowing that the industry they had hoped to enter has drastically changed since when they first enrolled.
The hopes of finding full-time employment within the local games industry right off the bat is slim for these new game developer hopefuls as they compete for the few remaining game related jobs with many other graduates as well as the experienced and available talent pool from the studio downsizings and closures over the past few years. The reality is that many will be forced to look elsewhere for work or try to make it out on their own, which certainly isn't an easy road to succcess by all means.
(Brett Holton, graduate) The only way to get a job is to basically start your own studio – and I have neither the connections nor patience anymore to do it. When Krome shut down I basically just went, 'that's it'...
I had a passion for the industry, but it's basically gone.
Andrew McMillen has written another exceptional feature for IGN (his other covered Krome's downfall), and this time it concentrates on where the educational sector of the local games industry is at. The feature includes the gathered thoughts and views of individuals from many different aspects of the education sector, from a new and optimistic graduate, a past graduate who's done all he can and giving up, staff from game education institutions (Qantm, AIE, QUT), developers who've taken on the role of teaching students (Tony Takoushi, Gaute Rasmussen, Matthew Ford), and games developers including John Passfield (3 Blokes Studios) and Michael Dobele (Halfbrick Studios). The big questions are asked. How can graduates gain experience when the industry wants experienced staff? Does a degree even matter? How are the education institutions preparing their students for the rapidly shifting games industry?
While the staff from Qantm, AIE, and QUT give some compelling and thoughtful answers on those issues and explain why a degree matters, how they prepare their students by giving a hard-line approach to education, or supply job related workshops after graduation, the overwhelming concern is on whether game education institutions are adequatley preparing their students for the rapidly changing games industry...
(Brett Holton, graduate)...it was a dated course. When anyone who's thinking of studying it now asks me for advice, I say 'don't'.
(Michael Dobelle, Executive Producer, Halfbrick Studios) I think the biggest problem with the educational industry at the moment is that they're teaching them a model that isn't relevant to Australia right now. Everything has shifted so quickly... universities are still teaching people how to do console development
Further emphasising the need for educational institutions to better prepare students for the games industry is Dan Graf (from Dr D Studios, and founder of IGDA Sydney) and veteran games developer John Passfield (3 Blokes Studios).
(Dan Graf, IGDA Sydney, Dr D Studios) The film industry model has failed 75% of Australian game developers. The music industry model is probably a much better one; namely, if you and your mates got together as a small group trying to develop your own style.
(John Passfield, 3 Blokes Studios) If you focus on developing for the iOS, Google may take over next month, or a new phone from Nokia may come back and reclaim the market. You need the skills to make art assets, the skills to make sound, the skills to design – but not for a specific platform. Because you don't know what's going to happen.
The broad range of views and opinions provided in the feature serves as a critical reminder of the importance of the education sector for the games industry and what needs to be done to ensure the success of their students and the future of the industry. And as the AIE staff from around the country meet up in Canberra during the holiday break to plan out their courses to better meet the industry needs of today and the future, and we can only hope other educational game institutions are doing the same.
Kudos on a great article IGN
This was a great article. Long, but good. I suggest anyone in the games industry to read this lengthy article.
-Atif
Experienced programmers not wanted
As one of those experienced ex-Krome programmers I'd say the experienced guys are not going to take all the jobs. I have kept in contact with many of the guys, very experienced guys. Guys who are being realistic about pay rates given the current climate. Most apply for games jobs and get no reply or get told they are over qualified. The few that have got interviews have offered their services at much lower rates than they were paid. They don't get the job. In most cases it will go to someone who has done little or no game work to save the company 5-10k a year. Also the leads doing the interviews don't seem to want to employ people more experienced than themselves. Many I have talked to seem to have experienced some very wierd interviews.
Experience a Mixed Bag
Being more qualified than the leads involved is certainly not helpful at this point, with many worried about job security. That said, to be blunt, if the studios involved can still save 5-10k a year by hiring new entrants, then the experienced professionals aren't settling on a realistic salary. Certainly an experienced programmer is worth easily that much more, but the reality of the industry is that job competition is extremely high, and studios can afford to demand high quality for a low price. I feel for those that are in this situation, as such a wage set-back can be untenable, especially if you have a family and a mortgage.
Still, I think those with experience are in a better position (for the most part) than those without. The Games Education sector in Australia is a joke, especially with the current state of the industry. No-one really knows what they're doing, with the exception, perhaps, of QANTM which has really picked up its game the past couple of years. If anyone's considering doing a Games degree, I'll tell them right now - don't. It is not worth your time, money or effort. If you still really want to enter the industry, difficult as it is, work independently. Learn your skills. Consider traditional degrees for animation or software development.