Work Placement Program for Black Youth & Emerging Professionals

Interactive Ontario is excited to announce the renewal of the paid Work Placement Program for Black Youth & Emerging Professionals ages 18 – 35. With the Ontario Ministry’s continued support, this initiative provides a pipeline of Black talent to Ontario IDM studios that can offer meaningful short-term employment and training opportunities in the IDM sector. We currently have over 100 resumes collected and we expect more to be added soon. Deadline for employers to express interest is Thurs. Dec 21, 2023. Our Program Manager will notify studios on selections in early Jan 2024. Please email victoria@interactiveontario.com for details on how to register your studio for consideration of this opportunity. There are a limited number of work placement positions available.

And Many more!

For Employers

Are you looking to increase your talent pool? Register to our Resume Database and receive exclusive assess to over 100+ resumes.

All IO members are eligible to register for access to our Resume Database, which is a free searchable web based platform with all of our career seekers resumes for you to see. The career seekers were registrants of the IO Career Fair held in March of 2023 who submitted their resumes for future consideration from Ontario based IDM employers.

Employers currently registered to review the resume database include:

Adjective Noun Studios
Alien Trap
Battlegoat Studios
Blue Ant Media
Boom Gaming
City From Naught
Continue Agency
Cream Digital
D&D Skunkworks
Dark Slope
Diaspora Games
East Side Games
Electronic Arts
Gameloft Toronto
Idiom Loop
Lightning Rod Games
Lucky VR
Massive Damage
Ocean Mouse Studios
Oceans Group Investments
Resistr Interactive
Secret Location Immersive
Shinespark Entertainment
Snowed In Studios
Sticky Brain Studios
Stitch Media
Studio Backpack
Turtle Riot Studios
TRU LUV
Ubisoft Toronto
Wero Creative

For Career Seekers

Are you looking to enter the Interactive Digital Media industry?

The video game/immersive interactive digital media sector in Ontario is made up of hundreds of motivated companies, employing thousands of immensely talented individuals, and we want you to be one of them!

Consider registering to our Resume Database to provide your information and resume. Your profile will be made available to our registered member studios looking to employ diverse talent this coming year.

To be eligible for registration, you must self-identify as Black, be between the ages of 19 – 35 years old and a resident of Ontario.

Get Prepared

Prepare yourself for the a work placement by completing the training modules to refresh your skill set.

A young woman working at a computer

Training Modules

Bring your best foot forward by taking courses with our industry experts.

Watch and learn from the online career readiness training modules available to help you in your job search.

Career Profiles

Learn about the career paths of experienced industry professionals and how they found their way to success in the interactive digital media industry.

Click a career profile to learn more!

Venessa Nyarko

Venessa Nyarko

Senior Producer, The Coalition at XBOX

Shiann Nias

Shiann Nias

Freelance Animator

Indigo Doyle

Indigo Doyle

Creative Lead, Pushing Vertices

Javon Swaby

Javon Swaby

Game Community Manager, Gameloft Toronto

Rob Elsworthy

Rob Elsworthy

Game Developer/Director –

Roderick Nevers

Roderick Nevers

Software Engineer, Snowed In Studios

Joann Pollard

Global Brand Manager, Electronic Arts

Shaun Jennings

Shaun Jennings

Technical Art Director, Ubisoft

Ibiyemi Balogun

Career Coach

Ibiyemi Balogun

Recognized as Talent Egg’s 2020 Career Coach of the Year, Ibiyemi Balogun is a Career Consultant who passionately provides career development services with clientele from an extensive background. She has worked with clients in Technology, Financial Services, Digital Media, Retail, Post-secondary, Nonprofit, Government, Telecommunications,  Entrepreneurship, and everything in between.

With an extensive background in HR, Career Services, and Business Development, Ibiyemi has over 9 years of experience in Recruitment and 10+ years in coaching.

Program Information

This is a paid internship placement program for Black Youth and Emerging Professionals between the ages of 18 – 35 who is an Ontario resident looking to enter the interactive digital media industry.

Work placements are 8-10 weeks long and they must start in Jan 2024 and must be completed by March, 2024. Depending on the employer, placement opportunities includes a mix of hybrid, on-site, or remote positions.

In addition to a placement at an Ontario IDM studio, the participants will be provided professional development resources including access to free online career readiness training modules and tailored one-on-one coaching (3 sessions over the course of the period of the program).

2024 Presenting

Partner

Government of Ontario

2024 Community

Partners

Tech Spark