May 21, 1999
San Francisco — It's hard to believe that a field which has produced dancing babies, talking bugs and sexy tomb raiders can't find enough qualified people to fill the available jobs. But that's the case. If the trend continues, there soon could be a critical shortage of employees that will affect what we see on movie, television and computer screens.
To ensure that California remains viable in the entertainment and multimedia job market, an innovative website was created to provide detailed information on how to break into the industry. The site can be found at www.skillsnet.net.
The site, which is already being used as a valuable resource throughout the U.S. and by more than 35 countries, has just launched SkillsNet Phase II. This section adds many new features to link job seekers, educators and employers in the entertainment and new media industry. By sharing resources and information through the SkillsNet connection, the industry will have a better qualified, available work-force and California will have better company retention and growth rates.
The new additions to www.skillsnet.net include such exciting features as the "Day in the Life of a Producer" and the "Day In The Life of a Graphic Artist." This valuable tool will show potential job seekers what they can really expect when they enter the workforce.
SkillsNet Phase II will also include an Internship Clearinghouse providing much needed internship information for job seekers and students. The Internship Clearinghouse will also provide companies with an "Industry Toolkit" to assist in setting up internship programs, providing peer support and connecting employers to prospective interns. Other new features of SkillsNet include Career Pathways and an added emphasis on entry level positions.
SkillsNet is a historic, nonprofit collaboration focused on securing California's role as the leader in the digital and interactive media industry. Heading up SkillsNet are two key industry groups, the Bay Area Multimedia Partnership (BAMP) in San Francisco, and the Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC) in Hollywood, along with the State of California Employment Training Panel (ETP). SkillsNet's newest partner is the San Diego Workforce Partnership, investigating digital jobs within traditional businesses and the public sector.
SkillsNet is responsible for providing key information to people who are interested in a career in animation, digital effects and interactive digital media (a.k.a. multimedia). These new high-skilled, high-wage jobs are crucial to California's continued economic recovery and they also provide interesting, high growing careers.
For more information, please visit the site at www.skillsnet.net.
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