Another edition of TING – Student Recruitment Week has been completed. The week-long event where game studios from around the world met students from Futuregames was once again a success!
This is the event where game studios from Sweden and around the world have the opportunity to meet and find an intern from our pool of super-talented students. TING was held over four days, with 194 students participating in 1000 meetings, “speed dating” and online sessions with the 48 participating studios. The speed dates took place at our sites in Stockholm, Boden, and Karlstad. We caught up with some of the students and studios at the Stockholm event.
Marcos Correa, Game Designer and international student from Argentina.
We spoke to Marcos Correa, Game Designer and international student from Argentina, right after a meeting.
– So far, it’s been great! We were all very nervous before it started. I think it’s good that there’s not only space for the meetings but also a big communal space where I talked to several companies in a more casual setting. That helps to make things feel more grounded, and that just helps because then, when you have your first interviews, you feel more relaxed. We have some very good studios here today. Futuregames really connects you with the industry, but a lot of it depends on the student taking advantage of those opportunities.
Julia Lundman, Game Artist student.
Julia Lundman, Game Artist student, also agreed on the opportunities at TING.
– There are some great companies here today, and I’m going to have meetings with some of my favourite studios. While some of the meetings are more formal, I just had a fantastic meeting that felt like a chat between two friends with the same interests!
– I’ve been having a bit of a hard time deciding – do I want to specialize in character or environment art? Ideally, I’d like to join a medium-sized studio because I enjoy doing a bit of everything. But, most importantly, I want to be at a studio with excellent mentors and colleagues where you can feel the drive and commitment. And being an artist, I naturally want to improve my art. I believe I made some kind of impression today. Even if I don’t secure an internship today, perhaps they’ll remember me in the future.
Saheel Husain, Game Designer student.
– I’m really excited to be here, says Saheel Husain, Game Designer student. This feels like a pivotal day in my life, talking to studios and trying to find my place. Out of the meetings I’ve had, there are five studios I’m genuinely interested in. Sometimes you might experience a bit of imposter syndrome, but after these meetings where I’ve been able to showcase my portfolio, I feel like I’ve received some form of validation. Many of the studio representatives are former Futuregames students who have been on the other side of the table and understand that you might be nervous, so the reception has been excellent. Even if the studio I’m talking to isn’t currently looking for a level designer, the meeting still provides something.
Frida Prestjan is Talent Partner at Avalanche Studios Group. Frida and the Avalanche team came to TING to find interns in the fields of environment art, lighting art, and project management.
– It has been great fun! It’s inspiring to meet students who are eager to enter and learn the industry. It’s rewarding to encounter new talents and see the new ideas and techniques they have to offer. It can be an intimidating situation to sit in front of several people, presenting yourself and showcasing your portfolio, but the students have been very impressive during the interviews. They are courageous and answer questions excellently while describing their processes and how they have executed their projects. This is a great setup, I think 15 minutes is a reasonable amount of time – it provides enough time to meet several students and still get a good impression of them. It’s a great first introduction!
– We have been taking in interns from Futuregames for a long time, and we are very satisfied with the results. It’s clear that the students follow the work methods used in the industry, which means they work on projects in the same way as we do. Moreover, they use industry-standard tools, making the transition to the workforce smooth.
Patrik Nordmark and Isabelle Grimborg, DICE/Electronic Arts.
– I’m incredibly impressed by the amount of talent here, says Patrik Nordmark, Game Design Director at DICE/Electronic Arts. One thing I’ve noticed is that many are, of course, quite focused on level design. However, as you engage in more conversations, you come to realize that there’s a strong emphasis on systems thinking as well. There’s experience in taking ideas from concept to implementation throughout the entire process. It’s truly exciting to see people learning such a wide range of aspects within game design.
– Our team is looking for an Engagement Design intern, and you can tell that many of the students have read our ad for this position. They have come prepared with extra material specifically for this role. Essentially, they’ve conducted an analysis of our game, and it’s great to meet such proactive and prepared students when we only have 15 minutes. It makes our job easier!
Alexandra Tretiakova, Philip Erlandsson and Ivan Vetoshkin from Starbreeze.
While some studios had specific internship positions in mind, others attended TING to keep themselves updated.
– We have a strong track record of hiring people who started with us through internships, says Ivan Vetoshkin, Art Manager at Starbreeze. So we’re here actively seeking potential in the students, and we explain as much as we can about our company. If they decide to apply, we assess whether there’s a fitting role for them, because we always consider whether we can hire them by the end of the internship. We’ve had nothing but great experiences with the Futuregames students who have come to us through an internship. We’ve never, literally never, had a student where we thought: “Oh no, we were wrong!”.
The next edition of TING, this time for programmers, will be held in the beginning of 2024! For more information, don´t hesitate to contact us at ting@futuregames.nu
Applications for International Students are open until May 16.
Antonio Obeid is a Lebanese student attending Futuregames Warsaw remotely, due to difficult times.
Meet Fredrik Borg, to learn more about the Game & UX Design education and what it's like to study in Skellefteå.
