SKILLS BOOTCAMP IN UNITY PROGRAMMING FOR GAMES DEVELOPMENT AND IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENTS
Unlock your immersive and game development skills with our Programming Bootcamp
NextGen is proud to introduce a transformative free 12-week Skills Bootcamp for the West England Combined Authority region, delivered in partnership with techSPARK!
Our Skills Bootcamp focuses on C# Programming in Unity. Whether you’re interested in immersive, game development, or looking to enhance your coding prowess, this Skills Bootcamp is designed to equip you with the technical practice and portfolio you need, with a focus on real-world applications and job-readiness.
Read on to find out more or hit the button to apply now!
Applications close on Sunday 15th December 2024.
From Complete Beginner to Professional Game Programmer: Hollie's Success Story
"Before the bootcamp, I knew nothing about coding—I hadn’t even printed ‘Hello World.’ The tutors sparked a new passion that’s now a rewarding career in game programming. Learning the fundamentals and discovering different roles in game development was amazing, and I loved the problem-solving!
"A big highlight was connecting with the local game dev community and joining my first game jam, where I met great people and made a fun little mini-game. NextGen Futures kept supporting me afterward with a sponsored desk space and career guidance, which helped me on my way to my current role!”
Hollie Page, Associate Programmer at Lively Studio
Industry-backed & expert-guided
This Skills Bootcamp isn’t just about learning how to code; it’s about immersing yourself in the world of programming with strong industry support. Created in collaboration with techSPARK and supported by local immersive and games studios, it features industry-approved content and guidance from seasoned developers and Unity experts. Your learning experience will be enriched by experienced programming tutors, sessions with a careers coach, and industry masterclasses.
What You'll Learn
Our curriculum is designed to equip aspiring programmers with a comprehensive skill set in Unity and C# for games and immersive environments. Over the course of 16 weeks, you’ll explore the fundamentals, including scene construction, C# programming, 3D and 2D mechanics, animation, system design, and user interface creation.
Each week features hands-on assignments and projects that allow you to apply your knowledge effectively in real-world scenarios. Scroll down or click here for the full week-by-week schedule.
Participants will master essential coding techniques and create work that demonstrates their proficiency in Unity. By the end of the Skills Bootcamp, you’ll be ready to tackle programming challenges with a learning experience that sets you apart from the competition.
Is this for you?
This opportunity is tailored for individuals aged 19+ who have a basic to intermediate understanding of coding and want to break into the immersive or gaming industry. Ideal participants should have a passion for creating interactive experiences and an eagerness to learn new technologies.
Eligible participants will already live in the West England Combined Authority region, or have serious intent to live and work here.
While previous experience with Unity or other development tools like Unreal Engine or Godot is an advantage, it’s not a strict requirement. If you have transferable skills from related fields, such as software development, digital design, or 3D modelling, you are still encouraged to apply.
This Unity Bootcamp is perfect for programmers who are ready to turn their passion into a professional career. Read more about eligibility and the West England Combined Authority region here.
Read on for more information, or if you're ready to take the next step you can Apply here! (Applications close on Sunday 15th December 2024).
What are Skills Bootcamps?
Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and an offer of an interview with an employer upon completion.
This Skills Bootcamp in 3D Character Animation is part of the Skills Bootcamps Programme funded and managed by the West of England Combined Authority, led by Metro Mayor Dan Norris, and delivered by NextGen Skills Academy.
From Career Change to Game Design: Ben's Journey with NextGen Futures
“The NextGen Futures Skills Bootcamp was absolutely pivotal in helping me get into the games industry. While I had formal qualifications, I lacked practical skills and industry insight. The Bootcamp helped me build a portfolio, connect with others through masterclasses, and gain confidence in the industry.
"The sessions were varied, with structured exercises and chances to work on personal projects, all supported by knowledgeable tutors who made coding fun and accessible.
Now, I’m a couple of years into a fulfilling career as a game designer, working with programmers and game engines. I’m so much happier in my new role and can’t thank NextGen Futures enough for helping me get there!”
Ben Spratt, Associate Game Designer at Auroch Digital
Skills Bootcamp Schedule
Indicative content
Week 1
Introduction to Unity
Understand and experiment with the core features of Unity.
We will establish a base to build on the weeks to come.
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 2
Introduction to C#
An introduction to some of the key concepts of C# programming. We will attempt to break down the language barrier that can make the first steps into code seem daunting.
Week 3
C# continued
Expanding on your core knowledge, we’ll learn to make decisions in code, before looking at ways to debug any problems in the logic.
Code layout will be addressed to help with readability and management.
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 4
Collisions and triggers
In a more Unity specific session, you will experiment with a 3rd person character and its interactions with the world around it. With this knowledge, you will be able to create simple and reusable game mechanics.
Week 5
Data structures
Data structures allow for more efficient storage of large volumes of information. Understanding them will allow you to build more complex and interesting game mechanics and systems.
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 6
Animation and time
Working with time and motion can be a huge part of game development. Push your maths and newfound coding skills by experimenting with a range of timing features in Unity.
Week 7
System Design
As your plans get bigger, so do the coding challenges. We will take a look at breaking problems down into their constituent parts and tackling them in pieces.
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 9
Introduction to 2D
A shift in approach to strictly 2D games and prototypes. We will start with a closer look at Unity’s physics and how you can manipulate objects to produce varied and interesting control schemes.
Week 11
Maths and AI
You will code up some basic artificial intelligence to make your game worlds feel more alive. There’s a great opportunity to broaden your maths knowledge, too!
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 8
3rd Person Prototype Development
Use some time and tutor guidance to compound all your learning to date. Build extra mechanics and features into a small 3rd person prototype.
Week 10
Prefabs, Particles and Projectiles
Push your maths skills, work more efficiently and fill your games with juice! We will look at a huge timesaver in your projects, before adding some flare with projectiles and explosions.
Week 12
User Interfaces
UI can be a critical feature in games and other applications. We will look at adding buttons, sliders and other useful features to your menus and game levels.
Week 13
Conscientious Coding
Coding isn’t always a solo endeavour. We will look at ways to make your code more readable and generally team-friendly. You will also pick up a few ways to make quality of life improvements for team members in other disciplines.
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 14
Request Week
Really want to learn something specific? Is your game missing a quirky feature you can’t make yet? Put your requests in early for this session!
Week 15
2D Prototype Development
As before, take some time to tighten up your current project. Use the extra 1-to-1 time to iron out any annoying bugs or patch holes in your knowledge, before finishing up that second portfolio addition.
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 16
Course Wrap-Up & Career Launch
Push your personal brand by looking at storefronts and online portals. Consider how you present yourself and your games before your networking opportunities arrive.
Skills Bootcamp Delivery
Your learning experience
The Skills Bootcamp spans 13 weeks, with three to six hours of guided learning each week. Additionally, participants are expected to dedicate three hours to independent work.
There will also be some in-person working days and events (dates TBC), ensuring that you get to connect with fellow participants.
Your guides
Dedicated tutor: Under the guidance of our experienced tutor, you'll master the art of Unity programming.
Career Coach: You’ll join a careers coach for essential employability lessons and one-to-one support. Helping you develop the skills to kickstart your career.
The Platform: NextGen RISE
You'll share work for feedback on the NextGen RISE platform. Created by Tom Box, Co-Founder of Blue Zoo Animation Studio, RISE simulates a creative studio pipeline, all within one platform.
Effective team communication will be facilitated through dedicated Discord servers.
Masterclasses and studio insights!
Get a behind-the-scenes look into the industry with studio insights and masterclasses hosted by experienced professionals.
ELIGIBILITY
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You must be 19 years or older
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You must have a basic to intermediate understanding of coding , a passion for interactive experiences and a willingness to learn, regardless of prior experience with Unity or other development tools.
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You need to live in, or intend to work in, the West of England Combined Authority area, which includes Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire. Scroll down for a map of the West England Combined Authority region, you can also find your local authority by entering your postcode here.
Inclusivity
We're committed to inclusivity. Our goal is to provide training opportunities for everyone, making our industries more representative of our society. We encourage applications from those underrepresented in the creative industries.
Right to Work
To join any NextGen Futures Skills Bootcamp, you must have the right to work and stay in the UK at the time of application.
Time Commitment
You should be able to dedicate 6 hours a week for the 16-week Skills Bootcamp. This includes 3 hours of remote tutor-led lessons and 3 hours of self-study. Group tutor sessions will take place in the evenings to help you fit learning around other commitments.
There will also be some in-person events that will take place over the duration of the Skills Bootcamp. Exact dates will be confirmed after the course starts - these will be informed by participants as we want as many people as possible to attend.
The Skills Bootcamp in Unity Programming runs for 12 weeks starting in January 2025 (exact lesson dates to be confirmed). The Skills Bootcamp will finish in March 2025.
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