Become A Gaming Engineer And Improve Your Outlook
As one popular gaming character would say, "You'd better believe it!" Gaming design is a very serious business. Since the introduction of Pong to shopping malls barely three decades ago, computer and video games have turned into an almost-recession proof, billion dollar industry, and the designer is king. With the objective of entering this field in mind, many are participating in degree programs online and on campus.
These days gaming design is an interesting hybrid career. A good designer needs an education in both computer science and business administration to truly get the most from an education. Getting a bachelors degree from an on campus or an accredited online college doesn't really matter too much. A game designer must have experience with computers anyway.
A key reason for both types of skills is, on the business side, a good designer must be able to either create an original concept or hunt down a licensed property that can be turned into games. From there, he or she must also divine what format the game would work best in, whether it's Playstation, the Internet, or otherwise. Then the designer has to assemble his or her design team, including programmers, artists and marketing people to help assemble the right package and unleash it on the consumer market.
To say the career is torridly hot is not succumbing to hyperbole. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly two thirds of all domestic households have some kind of video or computer games, and are always on the hunt for the latest edition of one series or another. Because of this, the Bureau projects job growth will be an amazing 30% by 2018.
While the current recession has slowed the industry somewhat, it looks like other forms of entertainment are turning around quickly. One thing helping the industry is growth in game rentals as opposed to sales. Another innovation that is helping is the introduction of new tech, such as the smart phone and the recent Apple's iPad, although at this moment it's way too soon to fully comprehend how the latter will impact the business.
As it happens, opportunities for financial aid are a bit easier than a number of other career paths. As the career involves computer science, it is not only eligible for standard Pell and state grants, but it is eligible for S-STEM scholarships through the National Science Foundation.
If that isn't enough, private concerns like Intel also offer scholarship programs for smart young programmers who want to get into the field. Because of this, it's smart to do research through search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing, as well as consult a financial aid officer.
If one needs further proof that creating games is a serious business, one need only look at the perks. The Bureau reports new designers usually start at slightly over $37,000. The average salary for an experienced designer is over $60,000. With possible benefits as health insurance, retirement and investment packages as well as potential profit sharing, the compensation could add up to the $100,000 range.
So when you add it all up, it sounds like a career that's just too good to be true. The irony is it's very real. There are degree programs online that can get you started. A business degree and a science degree can be obtained while you currently work, as you take care of a family, and as you do all that's needed to enter this exciting field.
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