In early 2020, TeamPeople joined forces with the International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDA-F) . Together, we set out to diversify the gaming workforce and provide individuals across backgrounds with the tools and resources needed to better position themselves within the gaming industry and, ultimately, land video game-related jobs!
The IGDA Foundation’s 2020 Grantee Online Program
In response to COVID-19, the IGDA-F switched their annual, in-person GDC Scholarship programming to a virtual 2020 Grantee Online Program. Since May, we’ve been sponsoring the program alongside some of the largest gaming brands in the world, such as Xbox, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, Iron Galaxy Studios, Zynga, and Audiokinetic!
Building A Skilled & Diverse Gaming Workforce
The 2020 Grantee Online Program provides individuals from underrepresented communities around the world with opportunities to build gaming skills and learn from industry veterans/mentors who can steer them towards career success. Since our mission at TeamPeople is to help talent pursue their passions and do what they love, we saw the IGDA-F’s program as the perfect opportunity to instate ourselves as a resource to the grantees.
As sponsors, our responsibility is to provide a support structure for diverse, early to mid-career game developers navigating in-person and virtual networking, the job search, interviewing, and career development opportunities. Grantees represent a wide span of countries, including Africa, Australia, Canada, Chile, Eastern Europe, Estonia, Europe, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States. Each grantee can customize their experience and seek help in critical areas they need it the most by choosing between three tailored skill trees: Leadership Skill Tree, Video Game Skill Tree, and Entrepreneurship Skill Tree. Despite the nuances of each grantee’s background and the skill tree they pursue, these individuals are the next generation of gaming industry leaders, and we’re thrilled to be a part of their career progression!
TeamPeople & IGDA Foundation Panel: Finding A Job During COVID-19
In addition to sponsoring the 2020 Grantee Online Program, we support the program by providing mentors to the grantees for one-on-one guidance in the form of presentations, workshops, Q&A sessions, and hand-outs.
One actionable way we’ve done this so far is through a virtual panel discussion on finding a job during the pandemic. In August, two of our top-notch recruiters went live during a virtual Zoom discussion in front of 25+ grantees from the program to share tips, tricks, and insights on navigating the tricky undertaking of job-seeking amid a pandemic. Check out the full panel discussion here:
Meet the Panelists from TeamPeople’s Talent Acquisition & Recruiting Team:
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Mandee Neubauer is TeamPeople’s Talent Acquisition Lead! |
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Robyn Johnson is TeamPeople’s Talent Acquisition Specialist! She’s an experienced recruiter and human resources professional with a demonstrated history of working in multiple industries, including Media Production, Food & Beverage, Legal Services, and Non-profit. She’s currently involved in key initiatives for TeamPeople clients who are making a splash in the gaming world. |
Creative Pursuits Podcast Meets Gaming
The ball doesn’t stop rolling with the 2020 Grantee Online Program! TeamPeople is also a sponsor of Creative Pursuits , the podcast that explores the intersection of art, communications, and technology. Recently, the podcast set out to discuss gaming in a two-part series that we’re thrilled to support.
In the first part of the two-part series titled Level Up: Diversity And Equity With Gaming Advocate Nika Nour , host Alex Crow virtually interviews IGDA Foundation Executive Director, Nika Nour (@Nika ). She’s a leader in diversity and inclusion within the video game industry, and her mission is to advance inclusion efforts and open doors for minorities apiring to get their foot in the door in the gaming workforce. Throughout the conversation in this episode, Nika shares her most profound experiences and insights as a female gamer and diversity advocate. She also discusses what it was like navigating grade school bullying as young female gamer in the 90s, the 2008 economy, Capitol Hill, Gamergate , #MeToo, and recent reckonings with racism and sexism in the video game industry.
Listen in to the first episode of the two-part series featuring Nika Nour here, and stay tuned for the upcoming part two of the series!
Raising the Bar in the Workforce
Nika’s story and the IGDA-F’s mission inspires us to continue raising the bar for diversity within the gaming workforce. Through programs like the 2020 Grantee Online Program and platforms such as Creative Pursuits, we can promote the next generation of aspiring game developers and amplify the voices of leaders like Nika.
Ready to develop your diverse and inclusive team of game developers and industry experts? Let’s raise the bar together! TeamPeople is working at the intersection of creative and digital to be your strategic partner. We’ll work with you to design a solution that best fits your team and operation. We hire talent across backgrounds to provide our clients with fresh talent and unique perspectives. Check out our gaming capabilities and strike up the conversation here.
