Simcoach Games announced an expanded workforce development initiative to meet internal talent requirements and market demand for online games, immersive learning and metaverse development talent. Featuring three tiers of talent, including a summer pre-apprenticeship program for rising and recently graduated high school seniors, an ongoing internship program for college students, and ongoing full-time, registered apprenticeships for high school graduates, these initiatives position Simcoach as a leading training resource on technologies foundational for next-generation media experiences, healthcare applications, business processes and educational instruction.
Based on the success of the 2021 summer apprenticeship program, Simcoach’s 2022 workforce development initiative added a more diverse range of participants to bring fresh perspectives, insights and energy to the creation of transformational online experiences. By collaborating with expertise resident in the Simcoach studio, this apprentice and intern cohort will build neurodiversity and environmental applications while developing technical, creative and business skills transferable to multiple applications, companies and sectors.
Simcoach Games’ director of operations Julie Linnelli remarked, “We started these immersive technology apprenticeship and internship programs because we recognised the need for talent pipelines in our company and community, as well as the local youth’s desire for these advancing and tiered, work-based learning experiences. We have been overwhelmed by the tremendous response, and it has been truly inspiring to see these young people build technology solutions to address complex problems through for highly engaging online experiences.”
Apprentices and interns alike will be trained, coached, managed, and mentored the “Simcoach-way.” This means that apprentices and interns will be employees of Simcoach with assignments directly related to the Simcoach product development strategy and business objectives. Instruction will be led by Simcoach studio personnel, complete with development sprints, conceptualization and prototyping, testing and validation, presentation to executive management, and culminating in integration into Simcoach catalogue. Activities will be hands-on and team-based to prepare apprentices and interns for possible employment at Simcoach or other companies where innovation, technical sophistication and design-thinking are valued.
“With these apprenticeship and internship programs, Simcoach has established itself as a leading developer of talent that enables business enterprises, healthcare providers, government agencies and academic institutions to keep pace with market demand for next generation online experiences. We invite the local business and non-profit communities to visit our apprenticeship and internship programs to see how we train the future workforce the Simcoach-way. Together, we can put the Pittsburgh region at the cutting-edge in conceptualising, developing, and implementing gamified and immersive metaverse solutions that deliver innovative online experiences and competitive business advantages,” says Simcoach chief growth officer John Lucke.