It might sound a tad grandiose but it’s true – by participating in the Digital Schoolhouse’s One Minute Mentor programme you could literally change someone’s life in sixty seconds.
Part of Ukie’s push to help educate young people about careers in games, the One Minute Mentor programme is calling for anyone involved in the games industry to share a tiny chunk of wisdom about what they do and how they got there.
The goal is to build a comprehensive library of short-form videos that might open both pupils and their teacher’s eyes to the breadth of roles available and hopefully inspire them to jump on the games career path.
You’d think a career in the games industry would almost every young person’s dream job in this day and age, but according to the Digital Schoolhouse (Ukie’s educational programme which aims to teach pupils relevant digital skills) there is little awareness of the roles available in the industry, resulting in a skills drought and a lack of students entering the sector.
This is where you come in, the sage-like games industry veteran that you are. By making a simple one minute video, students can find out about a potential job in games straight from the mouth of the person who does it, and be reassured that yes, people do actually do this for a living.
ll you need to include in your clip is a little about who you are, a summary of what you do day-to-day, what inspired you to join the industry and any advice you’d like to offer up-and-coming talent. Fill in a quick volunteer form and you’re done! Congratulations; not only are you a super player, you’ve also helped plant the seeds for a more healthy and diverse UK games industry going forward.
Find out more about how to become a One Minute Mentor and read the volunteer brief here.