More than 1,700 workers are needed in the games industry over the next 5 years if the UK is to maintain its global position.

Tiga

Tiga is the national trade association representing the business and commercial interests of games software developers in the UK and Europe. It was created in 2001 and since then has acted to help politicians and policy makers understand and appreciate the games industry.

There is a critical skills shortage across the IT industry and the games industry is no exception. In a recent survey of games businesses conducted by Tiga, 63% had faced skill shortages in the last 12 months. Of those developers who experienced skill shortages, finding programmers was the most challenging position to fill with 74% finding it hard to fill programmer vacancies. When asked about the cause of the skill shortage, 88% believed the problem was a lack of skills, experience or qualifications. 70% said that greater availability of skilled labour would help their business.

Games UP? Campaign

Some of the industry’s largest studios and both its leading trade bodies – ELSPA (representing publishers) and Tiga (representing independent studios) – are launching the Games Up? campaign to raise the profile of the industry in Parliament and the media, and promote ways the industry and government can work together to create new opportunities for UK games. It is a campaign to promote the opportunity that the UK’s world-leading studios present in a booming £18 billion global software market and the imminent threat of decline. The campaign sees the threat coming from a formidable combination of negative factors including high costs, substantial government assistance overseas and a skills shortage.

• The Games Up? campaign states the following will help in growth and engagement with education:
  Liaison with education - it will continue to work with universities to improve courses and prepare students for real world jobs using internships.
•  Promoting science – Games Up? can use the appeal of video gaming to help government promote computer science, physics and mathematics in schools and universities. 
• Engagement on Games Schools - the industry will work with Government on its recommendation to establish Centres of Excellence for Computer Games.

The campaign is also sponsored by the following companies: Activision, Blitz, Codemasters, Eidos, Electronic Arts, Exient, Frontier Developments, Microsoft Games Studios, NCSoft, Real Time Worlds, Sony Computer Entertainment and Ubisoft.

The key Facts:

• Of those games developers surveyed by Tiga:
  63% had faced skill shortages in the last 12 months
• 74% finding it hard to fill programmer vacancies
• 88% believed the problem was a lack of skills, experience or qualifications
• 70% said that greater availability of skilled labour would help their business

Why get involved?

In the games industry alone at least 1,700 more workers are needed over the next five years to maintain the UK’s global position. With average salaries exceeding £30,300 per year, which is significantly above the national average of £25,000, a career in gaming is well worth considering.

Did you know…?

Approximately 84% of technology enthusiasts believe that playing videogames has helped them develop skills that aid their everyday lives, according to a survey conducted by Autodesk.

Of those surveyed on Autodesk's community site, the Area, 25% of developers, animators, designers and students feel that the skills earned through game playing have helped their education. 37% said these skills have been useful in their careers and 22% also felt they've helped their social lives.