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Alumni News

Game Design students sept 2016

Classes are back. Why not give back with a co-op placement?

September 26, 2016

Here at Sheridan, another school year is off to a busy start. The campus is humming with the excitement of starting new courses and re-connecting with friends and professors. As a graduate, you may be looking for a way to give back to this year’s class. Think about helping current students get ready for success in the workplace. Third-year students from the Bachelor of Game Design program are looking to bring their unique education and experience to co-op placements in early 2017. Launched in 2013, the Bachelor of Game Design program is the only degree of its kind in Canada. Students study general topics in cinematography and sound design along with more advanced courses in story, character development, game mechanics and AI. They develop skills in scripting, interface design and 2D/3D modeling and are experienced with software including Adobe, Visio and Cinema Suite.

Game design students are already receiving accolades. OddBird Studio is a team of third-year students (pictured) behind the award-winning game, Arrow Heads. They created the game in their spare time over five months, and hope to release it on Xbox and PlayStation in early 2017. The fast-paced, multiplayer archery game with bird-like characters was featured at the annual Entertainment Software Association trade show in Los Angeles in June. And last spring, Arrow Heads was named Best in Show and Best Artistic Achievement at the sixth annual Level Up Student Showcase, an Ontario-wide competition featuring nearly 100 entries. These students, and their peers, are now looking to bring their expertise to their co-op placements.

“Going out into studios, learning from others, is beneficial,” says Cody Romphf. “It helps you gain experience and credentials for real life.” Teammate Josh Cappelli agrees. “It’s nice to learn from other people, every studio does things their own way.”

Co-op students can participate in a variety of roles as artists, developers and testers. Last year students worked in sectors ranging from gaming companies like Uken Games and Big Blue Bubble to sectors like banking. Some even participated in international co-ops, working with companies as far away as Norway and China. Employers have been impressed with what they’ve seen so far, commenting that students have the “perfect mix of art, game design and knowledge,” and that the “students far exceeded our expectations, and we’re excited to take full advantage of this amazing pool of talent in the future.”

If your business could benefit from a co-op student placement, please contact Alice O’Carroll for more information.