Careers in Focus

Inaugural Games Careers Expo at PAX AUS

Careers in Focus: Inaugural Games Careers Expo at PAX AUS

A three-day Games Careers Expo is coming to Melbourne this October. Educators and young people with a passion for games are invited to check it out as part of PAX Aus 2022 at Melbourne International Games Week 2022 (1-9 October).

From Friday 7 to Sunday 9 October, the Games Careers Expo will be bustling with the next generation of the thriving games industry.

Students, gamers, educators and industry leaders will come together at the NBN Theatre in the Clarendon Auditorium at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre for this free, all ages event showcasing educational pathways and exciting career opportunities in the interactive games and entertainment industry.

Melbourne International Games Week (MIGW) is the biggest games event in Asia Pacific and a fixture on the global calendar, connecting games, technology and culture, with a broad program for industry, educators, and game enthusiasts alike.

A highly coveted part of the MIGW program each year, PAX Aus is an opportunity for the games community to interact with game developers, publishers and brands, and get hands-on with everything they love about gaming.

NBN Co. is the presenting partner in collaboration with Creative Victoria and PAX Aus, joining an already stacked lineup.

It’s never been a better time to get involved in games. Booming growth in the Australian games development industry has seen revenue nearly double to $226 million since 2016 and employment increase by more than 50% in the same period, and internships, incentives and grants are readily available.

The Games Careers Expo will inspire and engage with an action-packed schedule of seminars, panels, presentations, workshops and the chance to meet with industry stakeholders and employers. Whether it’s game development, design or animation, these talks will give practical advice on working in games, from non-programming career paths and the application of game developer skills in other industries, to finding entry level roles and writing targeted CVs.

Highlights from the Games Careers Expo program include a panel and Q&A on how to start a business in games with three founders: Ryan Cunningham (You Know Media), Nick Bobir (The Chiefs) and Emma Kuldemir  (Esports Media House); and a candid and honest chat about pitching for work in games journalism with Seamus Byrne (Byteside), Edmond Tran (Games Hub), freelance journalist Alice Clarke, Steve Wright (Stevivor) and Shannon Grixti (Press Start, SCA).

Industry representatives Emma Losin and Rebekah Little (Mighty Kingdom), Riley  Huppatz and Nick Yapp (Foxie Games), and Kevin Read (Omen Redacted) will share tips on qualifications, networking and portfolio-building for careers in games; while  Australian YouTuber Jordan Barclay (EyeStreem), followed by 5.7 million subscribers for his Minecraft tutorials and pranks, will talk finance and making money as a streamer.

The Games Careers Expo will also feature meeting booths from tertiary education, industry bodies, employers, and government bodies. The Expo is open to school groups,  which can be arranged through the event organiser.

The Games Careers Expo 2022 is proudly presented by NBN Co., Creative Victoria and PAX Aus as part of PAX Aus 2022 at Melbourne International Games Week, an  initiative of the Victorian Government, delivered by Creative Victoria.