This article is part of the Get Into Games feature presentation. Check out the rest of the series for a complete look into the reality of getting a gaming career, as told to us by some of the industry’s best talent.

While the opportunities within gaming increase with its size, its mobility means it’ll always be a tricky place to land in. Ensuring that the ideal course in 2009 is as valid three or four years later is only part of the challenge, the expectations of a single discipline likely to evolve over time, requiring a different approach when drafting your application. Thankfully, the number of recruitment agencies offering advice is growing, too, Stig Strand (pictured), Peter Leonard and Eamonn Mgherbi of Amiqus Recruitment having this to say.

How healthy is the industry right now?

Stig Strand: The industry on the whole feels very healthy in terms of open requirements for programmers, designers, producers, artists and animators. Most development teams who have moved to next-generation platforms are still looking to expand teams significantly over the next 12 months to accommodate the latest technology and graphical demands from consumers.

But it has suffered from a lack of experienced applicants to fill these roles and this is why graduate recruitment will become more important than ever for successful studio expansion plans in the future. As a result, this translates into more opportunities than ever for people looking to gain an entry-level position within the games industry, so graduates and candidates looking for a new direction into games should take full advantage of this.

What roles are in demand right now?

SS: Graduate programmers are more in demand than ever, primarily for gameplay and tools roles for entry-level candidates, as these not only fill vital positions within a next-gen team but also provide a great start for graduates joining the industry. Computer Science courses are best equipped to prepare solid C++ fundamental skills which can be transferred into the games industry sector.

Other priority roles for studios include those that are involved in the creation of assets for a given project. There has been a large increase in the demand for both the number of assets that need to be created for a game and the level of complexity involved in individual asset creation. This demand has been driven by larger consumer expectation which dictates that developers produce larger and more detailed worlds, with more gameplay experiences and possibilities.

Typically, the roles in demand to produce these assets are level designers, scripters and artists – particularly environment artists. A third consideration is that with every generation of hardware a series of new roles is introduced into the industry. Recent examples include systems designers, particularly important for MMOs and stat-heavy games, and technical art/animation positions for heavily character-driven titles.