The Bracks Government has helped to provide seven new interns with on-the-job training in a bid to boost skills in the electronic entertainment sector, the Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Marsha Thomson, announced today.
"Our ICT skills base in Victoria is internationally recognised ? we know that one of our industry?s greatest strengths lies in the talent and innovation of its people," Ms Thomson said.
"Through the Victorian Government industry agency Film Victoria, the interns are sharing in almost $100,000 to undertake 28-week internships at seven Victorian post-production and digital animation companies.
"We are working alongside industry, universities and training providers to make sure recent graduates keep developing the skills they need to succeed in the workforce to ensure our industry continues to thrive.
"This is a cutting-edge program, akin to student internships only available in the US, at companies like Pixar Animation and Lucas Digital that offer on-site ?universities? for their workers."
Ms Thomson said it was also a fantastic opportunity for local companies because they could draw on the young interns? creativity and enthusiasm.
"The companies can tailor skills of their interns to their needs by training them in specific workflow systems and new software techniques," she said.
"It also shows how creative and interesting ICT careers really can be, with the interns working on projects including TV commercials for Citro?n, Cadbury and Myer, the animated television series Dogstar, not to mention animation cut-scenes for video games such as Neverwinter Nights 2 and Spy Hunter.
"It is a win-win situation for all involved because it equips both young people and the industry with the skills they need to succeed."
A former participant of the internship program, Daniel Fotheringham, is still employed with his host company Iloura, Victoria?s largest post-production company, three years on.
"When I started my internship at Iloura I was positively challenged from the get-go. Essentially I was thrown in the deep-end. I was treated as an employee, not as a student," he said.
"Once I completed the program, I was offered a permanent position here in my dream job, something I may have never achieved without the foot in the door."
Recently working on the feature film Charlotte?s Web Mr Fotheringham said there was more to a career in IT than sitting in front of a computer screen all day.