Talent survey to inform games and visual effects skills review

A new survey has been launched by games guru Ian Livingstone which will help to inform the independent review into how to provide the skills that Britain’s video games and visual effects businesses need.

The survey is split into two specialisms. Choose which one suits you best:

Video games industry talent survey

Visual FX industry talent survey

Talent Survey overview

The ‘Talent Survey’, which is aimed at those working in, and those who have sought work in, video games and visual effects businesses, is designed to find out what skills and education policies are needed to ensure that the UK can produce the highest calibre graduates to succeed in these high growth sectors.

Led by Ian Livingstone

The Skills Review, led by Ian Livingstone, co-founder of Games Workshop and Life President of Eidos and Alex Hope, co-founder of Double Negative, together with NESTA and Skillset, aims to make the UK into the world’s best source of talent for video games development and visual effects production in the world.

Improving our talent

Ian Livingstone says: “We’re going to examine the entire talent pipeline for video games and visual effects, from schools through to HE/FE and industry. It is important that video games and visual effects are seen as great career opportunities. And young people applying for jobs in these industries must have the necessary hard skills. This survey will help us to capture the evidence we need to make a robust case to government for how policy should support these critical sectors”.

VFX spearheaded by Alex Hope

Alex Hope says: “The visual effects and video games industries represent exceptional growth potential for the UK economy, thanks to the talent and drive of its workforce and a rapidly growing market. The Skills Review is the starting point for protecting the future of these industries and I urge everyone involved to have their input by taking part in the survey.”

The survey can be completed online at www.skillsforgames.com for those working in the video games industry and at www.skillsforvfx.com for those working in the visual effects industry. The Skills Review will be published at the end of January 2011. It will contain recommendations for policymakers, education providers and businesses.

Notes to Editors:

For further information, please contact Jan Singleton on 020 7438 2606/ jan.singleton@nesta.org.uk or Catherine Anderson on 020 7438 2609/ catherine.anderson@nesta.org.uk

About NESTA

NESTA is the UK’s foremost independent expert on how innovation can solve some of the country’s major economic and social challenges. Its work is enabled by an endowment, funded by the National Lottery, and it operates at no cost to the government or taxpayer.

NESTA is a world leader in its field and carries out its work through a blend of experimental programmes, analytical research and investment in early-stage companies

About Skillset

Skillset is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Creative Media, with responsibility for 60 per cent of the UK Creative Industries. This comprises TV, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, facilities, photo imaging, publishing, advertising and fashion and textiles. SSCs are licensed by the UK Government and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenges by sector. They are independent, UK-wide organisations, are employer-led, and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the industry.

About the Review

The Government has asked NESTA, Ian Livingstone, Alex Hope and Skillset to produce an independent report into the skills needed for school leavers and graduates to fully engage with the UK's world-class video games and visual effects industries. The Review is expected to conclude at the end of January 2011.

The UK's video games sector generates £2 billion in global sales. Worldwide, the video games market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 10.3% in the next two years - compared to an average of 6.6% for all media and entertainment markets. Helping UK games developers to capture new markets and ensuring that there are skilled young people to work in the sector will be critical to the UK capitalising on this rapid expansion.

The UK is a centre of excellence for visual effects work and as such is a major draw for the US film studios.  Visual effects is the fastest growing sector in the UK film industry with visual effects companies generating annual turnover of £376 million and employing more than 5,000 people. However, faced with a global skills shortage, access to top-flight talent is often cited as the only barrier to growth for UK visual effects companies.

About the Talent Survey

• The ‘Talent Survey’, is an online survey targeting both people employed in the video games and visual effects industries, and those who have been unable to gain a job in them. Through this survey we seek to capture which are the skills and activities which have made a difference in helping respondents to enter these sectors, as well as those that don’t seem to have made that much of a difference.
• A second survey is also launching today. The ‘Employer Survey’ will target managers and HR professionals at video games and visual effects companies in order to identify what are they looking for in graduates from education, where are the skills shortages and what is their impact, whether they are having any problems upgrading the skills of their workforce, and what has been their experience of engagement with universities, FE colleges and schools. This is a telephone survey and employers will be contacted directly to take part.