Over 3bn people around the world play video games. Certain game genres and titles demand skills much sought-after by the labour market, such as problem-solving, leadership and digital-first thinking. 

Game Academy helps players leverage the power of their in-game skills using unique assessment. The venture has developed a dataset of 60,000+ players that match their game choices to jobs.  Players share their gaming profile, be it on Steam, Play Station or Xbox and by applying Machine Learning, classical statistics and a rules-based system, Game Academy reveals links between their game choices, games skills and possible careers.  

During February we collaborated with Game Academy and delivered a series of sessions across two weeks devoted to careers in the games and digital industries. Challenging the idea that gameplay is a lonely, aimless pursuit – a secret best kept away from the workplace -we heard from professionals working in the games industry, from games and VR studios like Hutch Games and Triangular Pixels to game service organisations like Safe in Our World. The programme set participants practical challenges, such as using Game Academy’s analytical tool to evaluate the power of their in-game skills out of game and creating a presentation reviewing a game delivered to an expert panel. 

The sessions filled with discussion on what we are good at, passionate about and how the two might meet and combine in working lives. Every aspect aimed to support participants into employment, by providing live experience of teamwork and public speaking and encouraging consideration of the many dimensions and talents that go into making a game, be it design, art, visual effects, technology and game monetisation. 

The Real Ideas Game Academy collaboration supported Game Changers’ young people’s career development through the medium of the thing that they love and invest their time in. Playing games is becoming ever-more popular; but also, games technology, gamification and remote work are becoming an ever more important feature of the future of work.

Find more information on Game Academy: http://gameacademy.co 

This collaboration was part of Game Changer which is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund.