Warner Bros. Discovery Access Partners with Batman Arkham Developer For Games Academy

Warner Bros. Discovery Access is teaming up with Batman Arkham developer Rocksteady Studios to start a new games academy. In the United Kingdom, applicants can try their hand at breaking into the games industry with this 12 week program. There is a focus on under-represented applicants and others who might not have been able to find a traditional way into these environments. Warner Bros. Discovery is also looking for new ways to source up-and-coming talent. Next Gun Skills Academy also plays a role in this partnership as well. (They handle vocational training for creative industries.) Getting these applicants up to speed technically is a major priority, but gaining admission would also give them a much-needed credential to stand out in the hiring process as well. Topics covered include art, audio, games design, and quality assurance testing. Applications open today and the deadline to get them in is September 23. Check out what the curriculum will look like down below:

- Be led through a bespoke curriculum which covers a variety of disciplines –  Audio, Art, Games Design or Quality Assurance – and is all led by industry professionals.

- Learn about how to build your network; what good communication looks like in a Games Studio setting; how to put together a portfolio of work to help you progress in your career

- Get insight into a real work environment and attend masterclasses and sessions with professionals at all different levels of their careers

- Work on a live brief and get feedback from the team at Rocksteady Studios

- Get feedback, support and advice on your career progression

VG247 spoke to Rocksteady Studios co-founder Jamie Walker about the new initiative, "Budding games makers today are the future of the games industry and we have been looking for a long time to find an impactful way to help bring fresh, underrepresented talent into the games industry. There were limited training opportunities when I was starting out, so I am very passionate about finding a way to level the playing field for people starting out in the industry. This programme provides training along with a network of support to give future talent in this industry a flying start to their careers."

Warner Bros. Discovery's chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, Asif Sadiq, added, "The British games industry is the biggest in Europe and we want to ensure that we're supporting its sustainable growth while ensuring that it is an inclusive and equitable place for people to work. This programme is the first at Warner Bros. Discovery focused solely on our games business, a reflection of our commitment to creating and fostering relationships with underrepresented talent and opening up access to the industry."

Would you love to be a part of this program? Let us know down in the comments!