There’s no better feeling than sitting back and firing up your favourite game. Sometimes, the game is so good that you feel like you’re in it – building these experiences is the closest thing you can get to climbing into the screen.
From coding and design to art and audio, game developers create the immersive worlds gamers know and love. Getting a gaming apprenticeship is a great way to secure your spot in this competitive industry, and we’ll show you some of the ways you can make it happen.
The basics: What does it take to get a gaming apprenticeship?
Landing a gaming apprenticeship is less about being a pro player and more about wanting to be a pro coder. A genuine passion is an essential foundation for a successful career in this multi-billion pound powerhouse industry.
Think about all the subcategories of gaming you could get involved with, too – indie titles, mobile-only, esports, VR/AR… the list goes on. Plus, the industry is always hungry for innovation, and new technologies like AI and the metaverse are still in the early stages of their impact. What if you could be the founder of the next big game development company, pushing the boundaries of the new generation of immersive experiences?
No matter where you want to do, an apprenticeship in gaming can get you there.
Types of gaming apprenticeships
Animation apprenticeships
Game development is more than coding; intricate and engaging animation brings characters and worlds to life. Animation apprenticeships focus on the art of movement and visual storytelling. You’ll learn the techniques of 2D and 3D animation, character rigging, motion capture and more.
Game developer apprenticeships
Game developer apprenticeships dive into the technical side, teaching you programming languages (like C++ or C#), game engine architecture (like Unity or Unreal Engine) and the logic that makes games interactive. You’ll learn complex and cool stuff like coding gameplay mechanics and building AI.
Interactive media apprenticeships
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are new trends in the gaming industry that feed customers’ appetites for interactive experiences. Interactive media apprenticeships give you the skills to design and develop VR and AR experiences, including building 3D environments, sensors and UX/UI design.
Gameplay writing apprenticeships
The interactive elements wouldn’t make any sense without a compelling story, would they? Gameplay writing apprenticeships teach you the art of storytelling – and how to pair it with gripping gameplay, character interactions and problem-solving components.
Graphic design apprenticeships
Graphic design apprenticeships are all about understanding how to create the visual elements of a game, from the characters to the environments and even the marketing materials.
Entry requirements
The academic requirements for game apprenticeships tend to be set in stone – you’ll need GCSEs in English and maths at grades 9-4.
Some gaming apprenticeships will set you a coding task as part of the application process. Therefore, previous coding experience will be a huge boost to your CV. Keep reading for more tips on how you can add coding abilities to your toolkit and nail that entry-level video game job.
How to get an entry-level video game job
Remember those coding tests we mentioned? Well, many game apprenticeships and entry-level jobs will ask you to complete one. Make sure to concentrate in your IT and coding classes! Didn’t take digital skills classes? Don’t worry – it’s not too late to add coding abilities to your toolkit. Try getting involved with techy communities, networking with gaming professionals and scrubbing up on skills through these initiatives:
- Summer coding bootcamps
- Free coding guides/classes on Udemy or Coursera
- Community hackathons
- YouTube how-to-code videos
Another idea is to create a small game of your own that you can show to potential apprenticeship employers. It doesn’t have to be the next Minecraft – the goal is to prove that you have fundamental coding knowledge.
Apprenticeship levels – and what they mean for gaming apprenticeships
UK apprenticeships are categorised as levels (2-7) based on the experience and qualifications required to apply and those you will earn at the end of the programme. The levels are as follows:
- Level 2 (intermediate) – equivalent to 5 GCSEs (grades 9 to 4)
- Level 3 (advanced) – equivalent to 2 A-levels
- Levels 4 and 5 (higher) – equivalent to a foundation degree
- Levels 6 and 7 (degree)
Did you know that you can earn a full bachelor’s or master’s degree with an apprenticeship? A Level 6 or Level 7 apprenticeship means you can earn a degree while working – so, learn while you earn. You’ll get the same qualification without the steep university fees.
You can find a few game programming apprenticeships (Level 7) on the gov.uk website and by The Game Assembly.
Sector spotlight
Let’s talk about the metaverse. You probably already know it’s blurring the lines between digital and physical worlds, creating shared online spaces where players can interact, develop new worlds – and even earn money.
It’s making game development more accessible, as many players can get involved with user-generated content (UCG). As well as opening up new avenues for creativity, the metaverse is carving out new career paths for gamers, who can earn money through cryptocurrency or NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
The metaverse is still in the early stages of development and adoption – maybe you can be the one to put it in everyone’s living rooms?
Relax. We’ll send the jobs to you.
Reckon you know what you want to do, but can’t find the perfect role? Most companies hire their apprentices in a ‘recruitment window’. This means many great jobs are only available for a short time once or twice each year.
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