As part of National Inclusion Week 2017, 130 London students from diverse backgrounds were able to gain insight into the visual effects industry at an event that included some of the biggest names in the business. Hosted by ACCESS:VFX and Westminster Kingsway College, it was designed to encourage underrepresented young people to think about visual effects (VFX) as a career choice and to get inspired.
The Year 10-12 students all came from schools within the Enterprise Adviser Network, a programme which helps prepare young people for the world of work by connecting businesses with London schools. They were given a fantastic opportunity to talk to experts, join in workshops and listen to talks by people at the top of their game.
Co-host ACCESS:VFX is a cross-company initiative that supports and promotes diversity and access to the sector. It is made up of professionals from leading VFX organisations, educational groups and others keen to champion the importance of opening this innovative industry to everyone.
One of the companies involved is Framestore, which works on some of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters. Its Global Head of HR Amy Smith is also an Enterprise Adviser, and she spotted an opportunity to reach out to this community of young people not usually recruited by the industry. Amy approached the Enterprise Coordinator team to help shape the event and promote it to schools within the network.
The event was a huge success! The atmosphere buzzed with eager young voices, and the VFX professionals felt they were really getting something out of it too. The consensus was that by opening up routes into the industry to a more diverse demographic a huge pool of talent could be unlocked. Click on the video to see some of the highlights!
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Adam, a Year 10 student from Addey and Stanhope School, summed up the day;
We were able to see how the industry works and see how different all the jobs are in VFX. We got to find out about riggers, animators and people who even do HR and recruitment. It was also useful because we got to meet people who can mentor us. All in all, it was very useful, informative and fun!
ACCESS:VFX is now being supported by the Enterprise Coordinator team to continue the momentum of the event, linking with an organisation to develop an exciting mentoring programme for the students who attended. There are also plans to build on its success and develop even more opportunities to engage and inspire young people.
We are sure that there will soon be a whole new generation of VFX experts whose first steps into the industry started at the ACCESS:VFX Career Insight!
Find out more about the Enterprise Adviser Network.