Highlights:
- Simcoach Games launches its first apprenticeship program to prepare young adults for careers requiring problem-solving, creativity and digital skills
- Simcoach founder Jess Trybus and new Simcoach leadership to extend insights and strategies from game apprenticeship prototypes to collaborative project-based activities that prepares participants for employment in workplace environments
- Project-based game deliverables could include career discovery, workforce development, safety training, education, healthcare and wellness
- Apprenticeship program will be held in Simcoach’s Pittsburgh office and production studio.
PITTSBURGH–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#Apprenticeships–Expanding on its commitment to use game and gamified learning to guide young adults in career awareness and preparedness, Simcoach Games today announced the launch of its inaugural apprenticeship program for game design and production. Covering six (6) consecutive weeks in summer 2021, this apprenticeship program will give forty (40) young adults the opportunity to learn, practice and apply their game design and production skills in a hands-on, engaging and fun manner.
Participants will use video games and virtual reality to solve real-world problems in an actual game design and production studio. In addition to enhancing their game design and production skills, participants learn soft skills associated with working in office and studio environments. As the apprenticeship concludes, participants will have an opportunity to evaluate and discuss how the experience informed their interests, educational and career journeys, and potential pathways to achieve their objectives.
“We see this apprenticeship program transcending summer-camp and passive-learning internships by letting participants make real contributions and be compensated for their efforts,” said Brian Kaleida, Simcoach CEO. “All Simcoach apprentice program will focus on building and delivering real things that participants can point to with pride.” Mr. Kaleida continues, “This inaugural program also lets participants contribute their own ideas on how to use games and gamified experiences to address challenges which are familiar and important to them. We are looking forward to seeing what they produce.”
This game design and production apprenticeship program will feature:
- Apprenticeship activities that require participants to build and deliver real things – individually and in groups
- Scenarios requiring the combination of problem-solving, leadership, technical and communication skills to build gamified solutions to real-world challenges
- Learning opportunities required in today’s fast-paced work environments: entrepreneurial skills: initiative, goal-setting, planning, risk-taking, creativity, iterative development, communication, delegation, scheduling – with plenty of chances to practice positive attitude, grit, resiliency and perseverance
- Insights to develop personal strategies and habits on how to best blend work, education and fun
- Access to mentors or professionals across various industries and networks
- Acknowledgement of achievement, with a certificate of completion, to be used as reference for academic and employment opportunities
“As Simcoach’s production of games and gamified-learning experiences begins operations in a studio environment, the need for an energized and experienced workforce is a necessity,” says John Lucke, Simcoach Chief Growth Officer. “We see significant demand from multiple sectors for innovations that deeply engage learners and positively influence behavior, and our studio operations are organized to meet this demand.” Mr. Lucke concludes, “Our inaugural apprenticeship program could be the first-step in preparing young adults for game production careers at a wide array of companies, including at Simcoach as our studio operations expand and growth accelerates.”
Simcoach sees serious gaming and gamified-learning as foundational for technology-enabled education, training and personal development. Simcoach also sees apprenticeship programs extending beyond game design and production to include apprenticeships for other digital backbone applications. “Simcoach is at the vanguard of games and gamified learning as well as sponsoring and hosting digital backbone apprenticeship programs,” says Mr. Kaleida. “This inaugural apprenticeship program lets Simcoach combine these interests into an exciting project – starting with game design and production but that’s just the beginning.”
About Simcoach Games
Since 2005, Simcoach Games has been at the forefront of creating engaging, imaginative and highly interactive virtual learning solutions. Having produced hundreds of video games with millions of downloads for leading business enterprises, government agencies, and academic institutions, Simcoach’s games facilitate active learning, encourage positive behavior change, and streamline training. Visit simcoachgames.com to see our games in action, and how we make a difference for our clients, partners and diverse learning communities.
Contacts
John Lucke
jlucke@simcoachgames.com
724-316-3771
