National Apprenticeship Week 2024: Renewing Our Partnership With Into Games

• By Lien Cross, Early Careers Manager 

If you’ve been following nDreams for a long time, you’ll know that we’re pretty serious about broadening access to gaming careers. The nDreams Academy was founded three years ago to specifically focus on this area, and now nearly 20% of our team have been hired through this initiative.  

That’s why we’re joining the nationwide celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, to highlight the incredible impact that apprenticeships and other early career schemes can have in helping individuals to upskill and forge a career – even in a sought-after sector like gaming.  

After all, it’s certainly not easy getting that first job in games. In 2023, entry-level positions made up only 2% of all games industry vacancies. 86% of the UK games industry workforce holds at least one degree, and you’re statistically 8x less likely to get hired in games if you’re from a working-class background. 

The latter stat was highlighted by our partners at Into Games as part of their Gameplan 2024 campaign, the beginning of a 10-year strategy to bring about true social mobility in the games industry. We’re proud to announce that we are further extending our long-term partnership with Into Games in 2024, which marks our third year collaborating on joint goals. This year promises to be the biggest yet! 

Into Games shares our passion for fostering talent and breaking down barriers. Their mission: to build a fair and inclusive pathway into the UK games industry, focusing on supporting those from low-income backgrounds to get the support they need to pursue their dream job in games. 

This renewed partnership aligns perfectly with our objective to open doors and ensure equal opportunities for all.  

As a former apprentice myself, I’m passionate about the potential of apprenticeships to provide such opportunities. But what is the experience like for a current nDreams apprentice? I sat down with Richmond Zarandin, Apprentice Community Manager at nDreams, to learn more about him and his pathway into games. 

What inspired you to start a career in games?  

Richmond Zarandin: It started through my own involvement in a community. When a fellow Community Manager invited me to tour their studio in 2019, that’s when I knew I wanted to work in a similar role.  

This inspiration developed intensely more recently when I had the opportunity to work at Gamescom and I realised this was definitely what I wanted to do. 

What are you playing right now?  

Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, The Finals, and Lies of P. 

What were you doing before joining nDreams? 

Before nDreams I graduated in Sports Therapy at the University of Chichester and worked as a Sports Therapist for a short while.  

Throughout the years on the side, I have worked as a Social Media Manager for content creators, supporting them with new games releases or sponsorships. 

What has surprised you most about your apprenticeship? 

Initially, I was surprised at how much my opinions and thoughts were valued very early on. I’ve only just begun my apprenticeship and the team always make sure my voice is heard and my ideas are valued.  

At the same time, I feel supported and not pressured to have all the answers. 

What are you most excited about in your role?  

I’m very excited to help create a thriving community of people who love our games and want to be a part of it.   

Thanks to Richmond for providing his perspective! You can learn more about National Apprenticeship Week here, and for more on all things nDreams Academy please visit its website. Stay tuned for new Academy vacancies in the coming months!