By Milani Falitenjwa
Len Schlesinger once said, “failure doesn’t mean the game is over, it means try again with experience.” If there is one thing we have all learned from the coronavirus pandemic, no matter how challenging our circumstances may be, resilience in difficult times requires being adaptable and forward-thinking. This article goes over how ORT SA plans to bring gaming into the curriculum and the importance of early intervention – as well as how you can get involved.
Globally, the gaming industry has experienced massive growth through the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the preceding years. In fact, last year the gaming industry made more money than the North American film and sports industries combined. Along with this massive industry growth comes opportunities for many, many more people to turn their gaming hobby into a career. With the unemployment rate sitting at 30.8%, ORT SA has taken the initiative in implementing a dedicated programme to increase the number of gaming professionals and entrepreneurs in the country.
The gaming industry encompasses an incredibly broad variety of professions; Game designers, animators, writers, video game testers, software developers, computer programmers, audio engineer’s interpreters and translators, and technical support specialists to name a few. Most of these careers are technically demanding, however, and research shows that early intervention and education needs to be in place from a young age to make them viable career paths.
Upskilling youth from schooling level is one way to ensure that our youth will one day be employable in the industry. On top of this, online gaming is not for entertainment only and can be used for educational purposes, gamification in the workplace and social change.
ORT SA is always on the lookout for organisational partners looking to help bring the initiative to more young people, and equip them with the skills needed to make better lives for themselves. Please contact us directly for more information.
