Introduction from Ian Livingstone
The Computer Games industry is now bigger in GDP terms than the UK film industry and it continues to grow. As mobile technologies take off, gaming is likely to become even more prevalent, on the bus and train, in lunch breaks, you name it, anywhere. If the UK is to take advantage of this growth we need an ongoing supply of creative and talented individuals with rich imaginations, highly developed technological skills, and business and people management acumen.
As an industry we can't simply rely on talented 'geeks' turning up on our doorstep anymore. We need gamers with a talent for business, entrepreneurs who can take our industry to the next level. Therefore we must pull together and influence the training and education system as much as we can. Importantly, we will only get what we want if we know what we want and we let it be known.
To me, that is what this action plan is all about: the industry coming together for the first time ever to articulate what it needs in terms of skills and company development, and identifying how it can work together, with government, public agencies and with the education system to address these needs.
In the not too distant past it would have been unheard of for the games industry to sit round the table opposite competitors, let alone try and jointly understand what it requires of its future workforce. This is very difficult in such a technology-based industry and one that has grown rapidly and now has to grow up rapidly in order to not only survive, but thrive. As technology becomes cheaper and more widespread there's no doubt we'll face new challenges from competition abroad.
The only way to see off this competition is to continually invest in our human capital in order to stay one step ahead. This action plan is the first step in that process; I encourage you to sign up to it.
Creating the Future: The UK Skills Action Plan for the Interactive Media & Computer Games Industries
Chair, Computer Games Skills Forum
Product Acquisitions Director, Eidos plc
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