Student competition Search For A Star is now accepting applications for 2017

Aardvark Swift is gearing up for its annual Search For A Star competition, a talent contest that aims to dig up the most promising fresh talent in games development.

It’s not all stand up comedy and blowing on glass bottles though, the competition here is designed to help future game makers show off their talents via a series of challenges based on real-life industry practices, asking entrants to create a portfolio piece, whip up some code or a host of other challenges. In the second round of the competition, you will have to develop either a game prototype or art asset pack and publish the finished project.

The reward for all this hard work is a role with one of Aardvark Swift’s partners in the contest either as part of an internship, or in a full-time developer role. The competition is open to Post-grads or students due to graduate in 2017, although a partner contest — rising star — is open to those graduating in 2018 and will give you an internship at Sumo Digital.

Last year, Aardvark Swift claimed that 80 per cent of the students involved will go on to secure a games industry job after graduation. Applications are now open, and you can apply for both competitions here.