Intern scheme boost for Yorkshire’s creative industries

Posted on Tuesday 30 June 2020

The project, led by XR Stories, a partnership between the University of York, Screen Yorkshire and the British Film Institute - will place around 50 students and graduates in businesses involved in a range of creative specialisms including  film, TV, gaming and digital media.

Funding

The scheme is open to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the region. Students are paid for the 12-week internships with some businesses eligible for full funding for their project. Work undertaken could range from content creation to the development of video games, all using the latest technology for virtual and extended reality applications.

Students and graduates will be selected from the University of York, and other partner universities across Yorkshire including the Universities of Huddersfield and Leeds.

Support

Professor Damian Murphy, Director of XR Stories at the University of York, said the scheme aimed to support the creative sector as the economy emerges from lockdown.

He said: “It should be a welcome boost to our creative sector businesses who may be struggling in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic - but it also offers valuable opportunities to students and graduates from universities across the region who can bring bring up-to-date knowledge, ideas and skills to these local businesses.”

The first round of the scheme will run until December 2020, and projects must be concluded before March 2021. Further rounds are planned for the future.