JULY 27, 2023 – In partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s economic agency, Tamkeen, Think Tank Training Centre (TTTC) is pleased to announce the launch of the Passion to Profession Digital Arts Training Program. By offering advanced training in computer graphics (CG) for film, television and video games, this program will provide funding and a pathway to employment for aspiring Bahraini artists while helping Bahrain diversify its economy through the development of a vibrant, productive and distinguished digital arts sector.
TTTC’s CG Asset for Creation for Film or Games program is now being offered to 24 students, representing the next generation of Bahrain’s artists and digital leaders. Totaling 64 weeks, this comprehensive, career-oriented training program teaches essential technical skills, real-world software, and production workflows. Each graduating cohort will develop marketable skills, benefit from mentorship opportunities, and gain unprecedented connections to industry knowledge from the TTTC community and Tamkeen’s supportive network. By building a highly skilled and specialized workforce of CG artists, the Passion to Profession Digital Arts Training Program will help foster the growth of a localized film and games industry, as well as promote existing VFX, animation, and game art companies to establish studios in Bahrain.
The lessons themselves are taught through TTTC’s interactive online teaching platform, Portal, along with in-person workshops facilitated by Shawn Patrick Tilling, an award-winning 3D artist and educator with over 30 years of experience. They will provide students both with hands-on training and experience working in a collaborative, results-driven environment.
Ultimately, this initiative is the beginning of what will be a robust, productive and energizing relationship between Tamkeen and TTTC. The Passion to Profession Digital Arts Training Program carries with it the goal of accelerating the digital arts industry in Bahrain and establishing it as a standard for the region. Applications have already opened for the October 2023 intake.
Commenting on this partnership, Her Excellency Ms. Maha Mofeez, Chief Executive of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) emphasized the importance of developing the skills and competencies of the national workforce and providing them with quality training opportunities in the creative industries sector. “This partnership with Think Tank will help us stay abreast of market changes and provide Bahraini talent with the skills required to compete within the creative industries sector both locally and internationally, especially in the rapidly growing games and film industries. We continue our commitment of driving economic growth in the Kingdom by focusing on upskilling the national workforce to help them become the first choice of employment for the private sector."
CEO of TTTC, Marty Hasselbach, welcomed the partnership stating, “We are proud to partner with Tamkeen to deliver this program to Bahrainis and we look forward to working with passionate Bahraini talent within the filmmaking and video games industries. According to a survey we conducted, we found 600 Bahrainis interested in training in the video games field such as 3D, animation, game development and sound engineering, which shows the readiness of Bahraini youth to establish careers in this growing sector.”
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM
About Tamkeen
Since its inception in 2006, Tamkeen has taken great strides in transforming Bahrain’s labour market by providing programs and support for enterprises and Bahraini talent. They were founded to support the sustainable development and growth of the Kingdom’s economy by strengthening the private sector. Because a stronger private sector is a prerequisite to a strong economy, Tamkeen incentivizes and supports committed enterprises and Bahraini talent to become stronger, more competitive, and more sustainable. They work with those committed enterprises to build their capabilities and allow them to innovate, grow, transform, digitize, become more productive, and potentially internationalize. Tamkeen also works with committed Bahraini talent to help them upskill and reskill, ensuring that they are competitive both locally and internationally. To learn more, please visit www.tamkeen.bh
About Think Tank Training Centre
Founded in 2005, Think Tank is a VFX, game art, asset creation, and animation school empowering the next generation of creators. Based in North Vancouver at their state-of-the-art campus, Think Tank also serves their global online community through a proprietary teaching platform, Portal. Ranked in 2022 by the prestigious website The Rookies as the #1 School in Canada, as well as 1st in Game Design and 3rd in Visual Effects (worldwide), Think Tank continues to provide students with a high-end education, along with the ability to establish rewarding careers in the games, TV and film industries. To learn more, please visit www.tttc.ca
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Think Tank Training Centre
Corey Abell | Head of Marketing
corey@tttc.ca