Gina Jackson OBE
GameDev Bootcamps
Dr. Gina Jackson OBE is a Video Games Industry pioneer. She was awarded an OBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to diversity and education in the Video Games industry, has recently received the MCV/Develop Women in Games award for her outstanding contribution and has a fellowship from Norwich University of the Arts for her contribution to the UK Video Games Industry. Gina started in games development in 1992 and has worked for developers, publishers, and distributors covering console, PC, and mobile games. She is passionate about diversity, games education and mental health with a particular focus on games development and production management and process. She is a trustee of GamesAid, sits on the board at NextGen Skills Academy, is Visiting Professor in Games Industry and Business at the Norwich University of the Arts and is an advisor to several games developers.
Gina Jackson OBE is speaking at the following session/s
Social Mobility in the Games Industry
Data on the UK games industry shows an issue with social mobility within the sector. Respondents to the UK Games Industry Census reported an overrepresentation of people with parents from managerial / professional backgrounds versus those from more routine employment and a noticeable skew towards people who went to selective or fee-paying schools, with both measures increasing among more senior roles. This suggests that not only is social background an issue with entry into the industry, but is also a factor in career advancement.
BAFTA’s Head of Games will discuss these findings and their significance with four voices from across the sector. How do these factors impact individuals within the industry and what challenges do people face in both joining and their advancement in the sector? How does social mobility affect creative decision making and what are we losing from the voices that aren’t being heard? How does this intersect with other areas of underrepresentation and how does a focus on social mobility help reach people currently underserved by current interventions? How do we identify and overcome barriers and better target efforts to improve access to the industry?
Takeaway:
- Hear from key industry voices on how social mobility impacts both individuals and creative output within the games sector.
- Reflect on where barriers exists within both businesses and the wider industry and consider where interventions can be focused to improve access, inclusion and advancement for people from all backgrounds.
- Participate and ask questions, join the conversation and be inspired to think about ways you can help create a more welcoming and diverse games industry.
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Geogrify
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Ukie
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