Activision Blizzard Does Something Good for a Change; Will Train Developers
Activision Blizzard has launched a program that will help developers advance their careers. Level Up U will enable them to gain valuable skills and join the company.
- Activision Blizzard has launched the Level Up U program.
- It is designed to help gamedevs develop their careers in the game industry.
- The program has been funded by Diversity Fund raised by the company.
Activision Blizzard has once again found itself in the spotlight. Fortunately, this time the company has attracted interest for good reasons. The company has launched a special program to help independent developers advance their careers.
Activision Blizzard offers support
The program organized by the company is called Level Up U. It is the first major venture to be funded using the Diversity Fund (with $250 million at its disposal), which was a kind of response by the company to a wave of accusations of mobbing and discrimination.
The initiative aims to support non-industry professionals and experienced professionals already working in the industry in furthering their careers. Ultimately, they are expected to become full-fledged developers who will join the ranks of Activision Blizzard.
Those who are accepted into the program can expect a 12-week cycle of remote and on-site training. During this period, all candidates (the first group includes 104 people) will be hired full-time by the company.
After completing the program, the developers can expect further support from assigned mentors who will help match their skills to specific positions at Activision Blizzard.
Tad Leckman is responsible for creating the entire training cycle. He is an experienced specialist who has already designed similar programs at companies such as Lucasfilm Animation, Riot Games, Industrial Light and Magic and, interestingly, at Activision-owned Blizzard Entertainment.
What does the diversity issue look like?
And how does Level Up U actually relate to diversity, which was supposed to be closely tied to the fund? Fortunately, for the time being, the two elements are indeed linked. 40% of the applicants who applied for the program are from ethnic groups with minimal representation in the industry. In contrast, 45% of all applicants are women and non-binary.
So it remains to be hoped that the program will serve its purpose, and that all candidates will find employment with the company, which will be free of the problems most associated with Activision Blizzard.
