Next Gen Skills Academy launching women’s mentoring programme

A new mentoring programme for women in the games industry will kick off later this year, organised by the Next Gen Skills Academy.

Entitled ‘NextGen Aspiring Women’, the initiative will also cater to females in the animation and VFX sectors. It is aimed at mid-career level professionals who are looking to achieve certain goals, improve their skills, move into new disciplines, or even branch out as a freelancer or set up their own company.

Successful applicants will be matched with an experienced member of their industry, who will serve as their mentor for six months. Mentorship will be given on a one-to-one basis, while the programme will be complemented by various seminars, workshops and networking events.

NextGen Aspiring Women is open to up to 20 applicants for 2015/2016. The programme will cost £1,500; 80 per cent of this will be covered by Creative Skillset, while the remaining £300 will be payable by the applicant or their employer.

Women will be accepted based on “what they can bring to the group as well as what they might gain from being mentored”.

The programme kicks off on November 18th and will consist of a one-day induction, six hours of one-to-one mentoring across the six months, ten fortnightly seminars in London, plus other events and review sessions.

Full details and applications forms can be found at www.nextgenskillsacademy.com. The closing date for applications is October 18th, 2015.