A new animation academy will help upskill 16 individuals with the skills needed to take up opportunities in the growing industry.
The 2D Animation Academy will offer an intensive 16-week training programme including a company placement. Successful participants will gain industry recognised qualifications and increase their potential for employment in the sector. In addition NI Screen, through the Aim High: Animation scheme, funded by Invest NI, will offer a 12 month animation industry placement for up to six participants on the Academy programme.
Launching the programme were Employment and Learning Minister, Stephen Farry and Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Jonathan Bell.
Commenting on the opportunity the academy will offer to creative local talent, Minister Farry said: “The Screen Industry in Northern Ireland is experiencing global recognition and unimaginable success through programmes such as Game of Thrones.
“The animation sector has played its part in the industry success and has shown considerable growth in recent years.
“There is now a need for additional animators to enter the industry and the 2D Animation Academy will provide the skills to allow people to gain opportunities in local companies in this sector.
“This academy proves that Government, the private sector and our further education colleges can respond quickly to design a bespoke programme to fill the skills need of a sector.
“The Northern Ireland Screen Industry has ambitious plans to become the strongest in the UK and Ireland outside of London and a successful Animation Academy will help to achieve this goal.”
Minister Bell added: “I am pleased to be here to launch the 2D Animation Academy along with Minister Farry. The academy will help Northern Ireland to continue to take advantage of the global growth in the Animation sector.
“This industry relies on attracting creative young talent with the necessary skills to produce high quality animations for multimedia, film and TV.
Initiated by Invest NI, the 2D Animation Academy is critical to the future success of the sector here, giving participants the opportunity to learn the skills required by potential employers.” The academy has been designed by Northern Ireland’s animation companies with support from the Department for Employment and Learning, Invest Northern Ireland and Belfast Metropolitan College, in conjunction with South West College, under the Assured Skills initiative.
Applications to the 2D Animation Academy will close next Friday (July 3) with the training programme for the successful applicants scheduled to start during August.