Melissa Phillips

The policy team at Ukie (or more properly IES) has released its #manifesto in the run-up to the Scottish Parliament elections. It's a great piece of work, very strong and focused on growing understanding and recognition of the games sector, introducing funding and a new focus on education and skills. Sound familiar? It's entirely aligned with the five key recommendations of our own #LevelUp: Scotland's Games Action Plan, which we published in January. However, LevelUp is already with the Business & Employment minister, with a pledge to attend the next cross-party group meeting at the Scottish Parliment for a line-by-line review. That date is awaiting final confirmation. Find the manifesto and read more here: (And if you've not yet read, or left a statement of support for #LevelUp, there's still time. Full details on the SGN website).

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We’re right in the middle of interviews for our next cohort—and it’s been incredibly busy in the best possible way. Applications have been hugely positive this year, with real growth in interest. What’s especially encouraging is that, while much of our outreach has focused on the North and North West, we’re also seeing strong engagement from the South of England. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen exceptional work, genuine drive, and exciting talent. Even more valuable have been the conversations about games—and making games—that continue to fuel my own commitment to delivering what we set out to achieve at TGA. From the beginning, I made a simple decision: everyone who applies deserves the opportunity for an interview. Where possible, this is in person; when travel is a barrier, we meet remotely. For many applicants, this is their first formal step toward a career in the games industry, and they deserve time to ask questions, share ambitions, and explore whether this path is right for them. When people are being asked to invest significant money—and take on years of student debt—decisions should be informed, personal, and rooted in real conversation, not just paperwork. Portfolios are central to this process. They allow applicants to demonstrate skill, passion, and potential, and the discussions around them often reveal far more than what’s initially submitted. Just as importantly, the interview ensures that the decision is mutual. Even when TGA isn’t the right pathway, no one should leave without feedback, guidance, and a clearer sense of direction. There are many routes into the games industry, and different journeys can still lead to the same goal. What matters most to us is simple: every applicant deserves time, respect, and a genuine conversation before making such an important decision about their future. That belief sits at the heart of how we interview, how we review portfolios, and how we support people—whether they join TGA or take a different path into the industry. Because meaningful education—and lasting careers in games—begin with being seen, heard, and understood. #GamesEducation #HigherEducation #StudentSuccess #FutureTalent #EarlyCareers

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Congratulations to University of the West of Scotland One of TIGA's strategic objectives is to bring industry and education together to strengthen games education. We achieve this partly through our accreditation system, which recognises good games courses. I am pleased to report that the University of West of Scotland’s BSc (Hons) Computer Games Development has been re-accredited by TIGA. The course provides a broad range of generalist skills which equip graduates well for industry roles as indie game developers, or provide a foundation for further study in specialist industry roles. The course is regularly updated, benefits from a Retro Games room and attracted 19 industry guest lecturers in 2023-24. The National Student Survey (NSS) results for 2023-24 are strong. Congratulations to the University of West of Scotland on the re-accreditation of your games course and thank you to Dr. Thomas Hainey (SFHEA), Programme Leader of Computer Games Development at University of the West of Scotland for your enthusiasm for games education. TIGA’s commitment to games education extends beyond its Accreditation programme: ✅ The TIGA Game Education Conference 2025 – which takes place on July 3rd at Birmingham City University - will once again comprise a full day of keynotes and panel discussions. See here for more information: https://lnkd.in/eAe3ETWk ✅ Graduates Guide: TIGA has published a comprehensive and practical guide for Students and Graduates looking for a career in games. It provides a full overview of the many and varied career opportunities available in the games industry – from coding and programming to marketing and communications; from design and narrative to business development; from QA and localisation to HR and talent acquisition. Download it for free here: https://lnkd.in/e5NzZK7C ✅ The TIGA Games Industry Awards: These prestigious awards are now open for entry, featuring two dedicated categories for universities and colleges, namely Educational Institution and Education Initiative. You can enter the Awards here: https://lnkd.in/eKuqmm_y By working together, studios, colleges and universities can help students and graduates, address skill shortages and strengthen the UK video games industry. 🐅

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We are proud to share a preview of our strategic direction for the year ahead. ​While we are part of the chartered institute, our local challenges in Merseyside require a bespoke approach. We can't just follow a generic playbook; we need to address the specific skills gaps and digital divides in our city region. ​On December 1st, our committee will lock in the operational plan to deliver on three key aims: ​Integrating with local industry (Merseyside LTD 100). ​Operationalising digital inclusion (Real volunteer hours, real impact). ​Retaining our graduate talent right here in Liverpool. ​​To be clear: This isn’t just about the national BCS mission. This is a specific, localised strategy designed by this branch for this region. We are pivoting from being a passive provider of lectures to an active ecosystem partner. Stay tuned for the full roadmap. ​#BCS #MerseysideTech #DigitalSkills #StrategicPlanning #Liverpool #

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There's some fantastic data in the new report from the #DCMS that drills down into the impact of the #UKGamesFund over the last several years. The organisation's #grant #funding for prototypes has helped bring over a hundred games to life - and it's focus on building sustainable studios and businesses in building value in terms of Return on Investment, Jobs and valuable new #IP. This also highlights opportunities to build upon this fantastic work and supplement in here in #Scotland. Find out more here...

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The industry continues to be tough for many people (roller coaster doesn’t do it justice sadly) and I wasn’t sure what to expect when we kicked off our latest recruitment for production at FPS. The response was overwhelming. We connected with some truly talented individuals, and it was a pleasure getting to know them. A massive shoutout to Emma Le Roy and Annie Barlow in Framestore Recruitment—your work and support was invaluable. I want to share a few thoughts for future applicants: • Know the Role: Understand the position you’re applying for. We don’t expect candidates, especially early-career, to have all the answers, but reading and understanding the role description from the advert, and having a basic grasp of our work and the industry, is essential. • Do Your Homework: Research the company, and in a large company (like Framestore) the division recruiting, and the projects we undertake. It shows initiative and helps you stand out. • Ask Good Questions: Interviews are a two-way street. Asking insightful questions demonstrates your interest and helps both sides determine if it’s the right fit. An otherwise good interview can be further improved with that final interaction and your questions. A new job is a significant commitment for everyone involved. If you’re in the interview seat, you’re already halfway there—make it count. If I met you and the interview went well but you didn’t get the role this time, “keep on keeping on”, build on this experience, and keep in touch.

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Music supporting children with SEND. We have often received feedback about the positive impact of Boogie Mites music sessions for engaging children with a range of different special needs and disabilities, providing an inclusive group activity for every child to participate and thrive. In our recent project with London schools we experienced the benefits for using Boogie Mites music sessions as a small group activity for ARP (Additional Resource Provision) classes in mainstream schools for Year R and KS1 children. We have also worked with SEND schools and parent sessions with positive outcomes. https://lnkd.in/eJzKGa_B This project with Dingley's Promise Centre Newbury has been a great opportunity for the Centre team to gain music confidence, knowledge and resources, and for Boogie Mites teacher Lizzie Lock to learn about adapting our music activities for children with different abilities. Lizzie will present the project to The Boogie Mites team in July, sharing the learnings with all Boogie Mites teachers and trainers, so that we can include this in future projects. We look forward to continuing this partnership with the team at Dingley's Promise. We hope to work with them to consider how we can best support mainstream primary schools to use Boogie Mites music activities to help with transition, to give children with SEND have the best start. We would like to equip surrounding primary teachers to continue the music activities that Dingley's children know and love, to harness the power of music to boost key foundations for learning: sound processing, rhythmic awareness, benefits for social and emotional development, co-regulation and wellbeing, so they can thrive in the school environment. Marie Mullins Stephen Morgan MP Catherine McLeod MBE Lee Friend Meggie Fisher #SEND #musiceducation #learningtogether #transition

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Today at Prime Studios™ UK, participants on the Screen Crafts & Digital Skills Bootcamp stepped into the world of virtual production and green screen technology. Led by Dave Hackney, founder of The Digital Cortex, the session offered hands-on insight into how green screen workflows bring creative concepts to life across film and digital content production. With expert guidance — and high-quality kit (also supplied by Provision Equipment Hire) — it was a fantastic example of industry collaboration in action, equipping emerging talent with the skills and confidence to work in an evolving screen sector. #ScreenCrafts #DigitalSkills #VirtualProduction #CreativeIndustries #YorkshireFilm

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Everyone please take 5 minutes of your time to fill in the census! This information is invaluable in setting up the future of the games industry and helps across the board - Not-for-profits in games use the census data to fundraise; games studios will use the representation & satisfaction data to implement changes at their companies, and valuable data such as this one drives strategy across the industry. This is such a small action you can take that will have repercussions across the board ❤️‍🔥

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Screen Yorkshire’s skills programmes offer hands-on learning and practical advice in professional settings. For full details of their programmes 👉 https://lnkd.in/eEWkC6Yq

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Games people in the UK - please submit a response to the BBC Charter Review before Tuesday. This is a unique opportunity to help shape an institution that could have a massive impact on the UK games industry. UKIE have provided an easy step-by-step guide below to identify the key sections you need to answer, and some suggestions for how to do it, which you can and should adapt to reflect your views.

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The groundbreaking VR film 'Lost Boys' is tackling the urgent issue of county lines drug exploitation head-on. Produced by RiVR and Next Generation Youth Theatre, and launched by Bedfordshire Police, this powerful VR experience puts Year 8 pupils directly into the fictional story of 14-year-old Rhys, showing how easily vulnerable young people can be drawn into dangerous gangs. Virtual reality immersion makes the experience feel incredibly real, with users reporting they felt "completely in the scenario". This level of realism means VR training is 4 times faster and fosters 3.75 times more emotional connection than traditional methods. By providing a safe, repeatable environment, 'Lost Boys' enables students to recognize the subtle grooming tactics and escalating violence associated with county lines, aiming to save a generation from exploitation. This isn't just a film; it's a catalyst for change. #LostBoysVR #VRforGood #YouthSafety #CountyLines https://lnkd.in/e9b44KDS Book a VR demo now info.rivr.uk

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So if you're interested in the UK Games industry, this is a call to arms, please retweet and share! The BBC Charter review is about to close, and if you believe as i do that games should play a significant part in the workings of the BBC in the future, we need your help! Not enough games people have contributed and we need to make sure our voice is heard. This is a quick guide of what to do and it wont take long, but it could completely change how BBC deals with games, so please contribute to the Charter Review. The Games Angels, UK Video Games Council, Funding Quest UK, Game Republic, Jamie Sefton, UK Games Talent and Finance Community Interest Company, Paul Durrant OBE. 1. Go to: https://lnkd.in/ejAuYrMe 2. Under “Public purpose and mission”, consider selecting Disagree and adding a paragraph along the lines of: “Video games are now a core part of British creative and cultural life, and the BBC's mission should reflect that. By forming partnerships, commissioning new work, and embracing interactive storytelling, the BBC can champion games as a legitimate art form and celebrate their artistic and social value.” 3. Under “Chapter 1: Trusted institution”, you may wish to add: “The video games industry seeks to create safe and inclusive online spaces for players of all ages. The BBC should work with the games industry to develop digital experiences that promote digital skills, literacy and good digital citizenship.” 4. In “Public programming”, select Other and consider adding: “The BBC should work with the video games industry to promote programming that recognises the cultural and social impact of video games and interactive entertainment.” 5. In the Funding section, you could add: “The Government should relax capital constraints on BBC commissioning so it can more easily establish commercial partnerships with the games industry.” 6. In the final free text field, you may wish to add a broader comment about the role of games in the UK’s creative and cultural life.

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"Cornwall’s games industry is proven, cost-efficient, entrepreneurial, talent-rich, export-focused and culturally significant. What it lacks is structural backing proportionate to its demonstrated return. Its high potential ceiling with strong local talent and creative culture coupled with lower average running cost and burn rates makes it an incredible slice of the industry to invest in and engage with on work-for-hire projects." Opportunity in the West for smart investment. Great report Cornwall Games.

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🚀 Launching the Broadcast Engineering & Technical Operations Bootcamp - April 2026 Wales’ broadcast sector is growing fast and so is the demand for people with the technical skills to power the studios, systems and live productions audiences rely on every single day. Working in partnership Whisper, Tramshed Tech, Cardiff Capital Region & Cardiff and Vale College are launching a brand new, industry led Broadcast Engineering & Technical Operations Bootcamp - an intensive, hands on programme built in partnership with leading broadcasters, engineers and technical teams from across Wales. 👉 7th–9th April & 14th–16th April 2026 This is not a creative taster course. It’s a deep dive into the real engineering backbone of modern broadcasting, from IP workflows to live systems integration, vision control, audio operations, and emerging tools shaping the future of broadcast tech. Who is it for? Perfect for early career or technically minded people such as: 🔹 Junior techs in broadcast, AV, events or IT 🔹 Camera ops wanting to go deeper into vision engineering 🔹 Audio assistants and aspiring sound techs 🔹 Computing, media and technology graduates 🔹 Anyone with technical aptitude ready to step into specialist engineering roles Why this is a huge opportunity: 💡 Learn directly from working broadcast engineers 🎛️ Access real broadcast environments and live production tech 🛠️ Build practical, industry-ready skills through hands-on challenges 🤝 Connect with employers across Wales’ creative & digital landscape 🚀 Get a clearer pathway into technical roles such as: Broadcast Engineer, Vision Supervisor, AR Technician, Systems Operator, Technical Director. If you're looking to deepen your technical skills, break into broadcast engineering, or move from IT/AV into a sector full of innovation and live problem solving… this programme is built for you. 👉 Applications are open - Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eRGr4-47 If you know someone who’d thrive in this environment please share!

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I've been wanting to post about reading, and the decline in children reading for pleasure, and fewer parents reading aloud to their children for a while. But something has held me back - as I don't work in publishing, or education, or the early years I think 'why should I comment?' But thank you, Jonathan Douglas for putting it so eloquently - that it's something we should all care about. Please, anyone who makes content for kids, on any platform, who educates kids, who interacts with kids - work together to reignite a love of reading across the nation. Jonathan Douglas, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “This year’s data is once again stark. We are witnessing the lowest levels of reading enjoyment and daily reading in a generation – a critical challenge for literacy, wellbeing, and life chances. Children’s futures are being put at risk and joining forces across sectors to address the reading for pleasure crisis is essential. But our research also offers hope. Young people are still motivated to read when it connects to their interests, when they have choice, and when it feels relevant to their lives. We must meet young readers where they are – emotionally, culturally and digitally – if we are to reignite a love of reading across the UK.” The figures are quite stark: a steep decline in the number of parents reading aloud to young children, with 41% of 0- to four-year-olds now being read to frequently, down from 64% in 2012. https://lnkd.in/ew7bXtxF Only 1 in 3 (32.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time Only 1 in 5 (18.7%) say they read something daily in their free time However, let's look at audio books, at comics and graphic novels, at magazines, and even digital content on screens... in 2024, a higher percentage of children and young people said they enjoyed listening than enjoyed reading in their free time (42.3% vs 34.6%). This is the first time that more enjoyed listening than reading since we first started asking about listening in 2020. https://lnkd.in/efVKNKvt In fact, in 2025: Half (49.3%) of children and young people still read fiction or short stories in print each month. Two in five (40.1%) read non-fiction books, while comics and graphic novels (29.2%) and magazines (21.3%) also remain popular choices. Digital formats dominated in other categories, with song lyrics (60.7%) and news articles (28.2%) mostly read on screens. National Literacy Trust CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) The Children's Media Conference Froebel Trust Nikki Stearman Carla Herbertson Ahrani Logan Mario Dubois Louise Ioannou Nigel Twumasi #reading #readingforpleasure #readingaloud #books #GrowAGenerationOfReaders

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Great to see the push for faster, more flexible “fast-track” apprenticeships, so training can keep up with what industry actually needs, especially in fast-moving sectors like tech and games. I’m a huge advocate for apprenticeships. They gave real credibility and validation to my own skill set early in my career, and that recognition made a big difference to my confidence and progression. Now working in games, I see how powerful this still is. Apprenticeships open doors, help studios grow talent, and give people opportunities they might not otherwise get. This stuff works and we need more of it. #Apprenticeships #GamesIndustry #Skills #LearningAndDevelopment #Careers 🎮

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I read the recent piece on the BBC site recently citing Declan Cassidy 's report with great interest. Particularly as I come from a working class background. It made me think hard about my experiences of over 40 years in the games industry, both as an employee, and an employer, and it's a clear truth to me that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. This isn’t just unfair, it’s a risk to creativity and sustainability. If the stories in our games only come from those who can afford to 'belong'. This imbalance in opportunity is something that has really pushed me forward with the work I'm doing alongside Gina Jackson OBE on Pitchify. We’re building Pitchify to break down gatekeeping barriers by giving every developer, no matter their background, a global platform to connect with publishers and investors. We're democratising pitching with structured, transparent profiles that are designed for funders to trust, so judgment is based on quality, not connections. We're directly educating and guiding developers on what funders actually need, so great ideas don’t die because someone couldn’t decode industry jargon or obfuscation. Systemic problems need systemic solutions. Levelling the playing field isn’t optional, it’s ESSENTIAL for the health of our industry. Help us build change by joining us at Pitchify.games #GameDev #SocialMobility #EquityInGaming #Pitchify https://lnkd.in/eddnyPyd

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Here at the Sumo Digital Academy, we’ve spent 5 years honing how we train the next generation of developers inside a real studio environment. We’ve created post-graduate apprenticeships in Game Programming and Technical Art that deliver meaningful skills, real projects, and genuine career pathways. We’ve received awards from government and been rated Outstanding across the board by Ofsted (https://lnkd.in/dERhWA5S). Now we want to explore whether we can deliver the same apprenticeship experience for studios outside of the Sumo Group.   Sumo’s apprentices don’t just learn—they ship products. The Academy has released multiple products and is currently leading development on the funded indie title NUTMEG! (https://lnkd.in/ekaGNVb5). These are not new hires that need extensive handholding, but industry ready developers primed to work on real games.   We know the industry is facing challenges, but those pressures make it more important than ever to invest in new talent. Without a strong pipeline, studios risk losing the skills and new ideas that they need to thrive. I strongly believe that we have trained future industry leaders—the very people who will go on to help ensure that we all have an industry to work in for years to come.   If you’d like to know more then drop me a PM and I’ll happily share more information and discuss how it could work for you. PS: Wishlist NUTMEG! now! https://lnkd.in/ekaGNVb5 😉

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