WIREDGOV

The first young people to graduate from a pilot project to improve grassroots access into the gaming and animation sectors have secured coveted places on games development degrees and work in the industry.

80% of the 30 students who studied on Media Academy Cymru’s (MAC) initial Gêm Project progressed to FE courses in South Wales, four are studying gaming-related courses at university and one is currently working as a game tester for one of Wales’ leading game developers.

MAC provide alternative education programmes for young people aged 16 to 25 who are not in education or employment. They are internationally known for their work in diverting children & young people from the criminal justice system.

The Gêm Project received over £140,000 in funding from the Welsh Government, through the first round of the Creative Wales Skills Fund. Three new programmes of study were devised specifically for 16 to 25-year-olds and students were given the opportunity to meet industry professionals, learn about potential career pathways in Wales and test-play new games before they were launched to the public.

Following the success of the Gêm Project (now offered as a mainstream course in partnership with Cardiff and Vale College), an animation pilot was launched last year funded by a second round of Creative Skills funding. The Animeiddio Project offers young people with varied past educational experiences both a structured syllabus and the opportunity to network and participate in the wider animation community, showing their work at Cardiff Animation Festival and regular animation nights.

Culture Minister, Jack Sargeant, met the current animation students last week. He said:

The importance of the creative industries to Wales is clear – it's about jobs, culture and our identity. Meeting the animation students at MAC was inspiring – these young people are incredibly talented and passionate about their craft. Programmes like the Animeiddio Project are exactly what we need to ensure our creative sector reflects all of Wales, providing pathways for diverse talent to thrive.

AJ, 20, took three years off school following family problems and hadn’t been back in education until she joined the current Animation level 3 course. She said:

I had agoraphobia for a long time so I couldn’t leave the house. This is my first year back and everybody is so understanding. It’s the best thing that could possibly have happened.

I hope to study here next year as well which should give me the grades to go to uni. Then hopefully - eventually - establish my own studio. I have an animation series I’ve been working on for ten years that I’m hoping to develop further.

The Creative Skills fund supports projects that help people gain the skills they need to thrive in the creative industries - from music and screen to games, animation, and immersive tech. Across both rounds of the fund, 34 projects have been funded, with £3 million investment.

A recently published highlight report on the first funding round found that over 27,000 individuals and over 300 companies benefitted from the support which delivered 488 training courses and secured 300 work experience placements.