When you conjure up an image of video gaming, it’s usually of male-dominated dens rank from the odor of gym socks, stale energy drinks and cheese puffs. With that kind of baggage going on, it’s little wonder why women gamers are a minority. Reports state only 38% of gamers are female. To make matters worse, the industry site GamesCareers.biz, reports only 10% of all job applications the industry receives are from women. It’s something gaming feels needs changed, and changed sooner rather than later. It should not be a surprise that there is much more involved in this field than just role-playing. A degree from accredited online schools will provide the means to charge into this expanding field.
To the industry, this situation implies it’s missing a large chunk of its desired market. They feel if they employ more women, both on the research and development as well as marketing side, it will give them the insight to have that needed appeal.
Because of this, Microsoft held a conference at its Washington headquarters. News service CNET, who also attended, noted around 150 pros attended, 90% of them women. The cable news service then joked Microsoft probably got all the women who work in the industry. If you need more information about science bachelor degree, look on the internet.
Yet if one reviews the work environment, one can see why many women don’t want to work there. The gaming giants EA and ActiVision are facing lawsuits about their work environment. Developers work longer-than-average hours with little overtime compensation. As personnel are younger than most software designers, this situation isn’t particularly conducive to mothers with infants to pre-teens. They do want to see their kids every so often.
One company that’s taking the lead in this problem is Sony Online Entertainment, another leader in the video game field. According to CNN, they have created a program they’ve called G.I.R.L., for Gamers In Real Life. Led by Torrie Dorrell, Sony’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, it’s a scholarship program designed to lure young women into game development.
Gamers In Real Life has already granted two sums of $10,000 each to two deserving students. It has a third scholarship set for May, 2010. Another reward is the recipients become interns at Sony. You can learn more about this program on the web. If women look around, they probably can find other programs like GIRL. There is an abundance of information about college courses online on the web.
This aren’t the only monies available to women who want to create fun as a career. One thing to consider is that game development is a part of computer science, and as such is considered a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) career. Another good source for financial aid is the National Science Foundation for an S-STEM scholarship/grant.
Finally, as many accredited online schools offer game development as part of their curriculum, they are excellent places to find out more about the industry. So, a good place for a woman to find out how to facilitate a technology degree online is through her school’s financial aid officer.
