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Game Programming Apprenticeship
2 years ago
With a rich history of developing multiple AAA franchises such as Little Big Planet and Crackdown, as well as contributing to genre-defining titles like the Forza Motorsport and Hitman series, Sumo Sheffield’s vast development experience spans multiple genres and platforms.
As winners of the TIGA Star Employment Award for 2021, recipients of the GI Biz 2020 Best Places to Work Award and listed as one of the UK’s 100 Best Large Companies to Work for in 2021, Sumo Digital has enjoyed 18 years of stability and growth since its formation in 2003 and continues to strive for excellence across every single project.
The team have a track record of working on some of the world's biggest and best games and received two BAFTAs for their work on Sackboy: A Big Adventure. As the scale and exclusivity of projects continues to grow, there’s never been a more exciting time to join the Sumo Sheffield family!
The Apprenticeship.
The Sumo Academy’s game programming apprenticeship programme provides an alternative pathway into a career as a game programmer. Previous game programming experience is NOT required, and applicants need only demonstrate their learning potential as game programmers. English apprenticeship programmes can only be used to train someone for a role in which they have not already been trained. Therefore, students of game programming degrees should apply to our undergraduate placement scheme or directly for junior industry roles instead.
Graduates of Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science degrees are particularly well placed to train as game programmers, but applications are welcomed from any background with previous professional experience and/or a proven aptitude for programming.
Duration: 12-24 Months
Salary: £18,200 per annum
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: Sheffield
The Appenticeship Experience.
This programme will follow the newly approved
Level 7 Game Programmer Apprenticeship Specification co-developed by Sumo-Digital. As a Level 7 programme, this provides apprentices with the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours to support their pathway into senior, technical roles as programmers within the games industry. While each apprentice’s individual journey will vary, this will typically include:
· Significant training in C++: the primary language used in game development.
· Training and support with the Unreal Engine.
· A placement on one of Sumo’s game teams.
Although an apprenticeship doesn’t guarantee continued employment beyond the end of the programme, our apprenticeship experience is designed to provide you with the best possible opportunity to make a competitive application for a junior programming role within the Sumo Group once you complete the apprenticeship.
Key Requirements:
- You must at least 18 years old.
- You must be able to demonstrate a strong aptitude for programming through our interview process.
- You must not already be enrolled on another apprenticeship, or in full time education which would overlap with the apprenticeship.
- You must have a valid and eligible residency status (prior to application).
- You must have not received significant prior training as a game programmer - your prior learning in programming and game development must not exceed more than 50% of the knowledge skills and behaviour set out in the occupational standard for a Level 7 Game Programmer.
In practice, this final condition would typically exclude graduates of game programming degrees from taking this apprenticeship. Graduates of Computer Science degrees without experience in game development might expect to have the length of the apprenticeship shortened to 12 months (the minimum length for any apprenticeship).
To be considered we need from you:
The Application Process.
We’re looking for candidates who have huge potential, but who don’t have all the usual prerequisites for gaining employment in the videogame industry. We’re not asking for prior qualifications or a portfolio of work, so we do need to be sure that our apprentices have an aptitude for learning how to code. That means we need to ask applicants to undertake some self-study and complete a series of aptitude tests before considering them for the programme. We’ve done as much as we can to make sure that these tests are accessible and fair to all, but we know that not everyone has the time and resources to devote to such a time-consuming process. If you come from an
underrepresented group and need more support, then please consider applying to our
Diversity Internship Training Programme first.
Rest assured that you will be judged on your potential – not how much you have learned previously. In fact, if you have too much previous experience in game programming then you would be ineligible to apply under English apprenticeship rules. However, it’s equally unlikely you’re going to succeed if you haven’t done any programming before, and we would encourage applicants to spend time exploring our
free C++ game programming tutorial resources before making an application. If you find these resources too difficult then try learning some Python programming first and consider applying to the apprenticeship programme next year.
Application Timeline.
If your initial application is successful, then you will be given access to some training materials and invited to take part in some aptitude tests. These online tests assume that you have engaged with the training materials and must be completed within the testing window which includes two weekends to accommodate applicants with existing commitments and responsibilities. The content of the tests will be based on games which are made using the PlayBuffer C++ framework which is
freely available here.
There will be two tests in total:
A Short C++ Test
This test will contain relatively simple C++ questions which must be completed against the clock.
An Open-Ended C++ Task
In this test you will be given the C++ code for simple 2D game and asked to add some additional functionality. You will have two days to complete the task.
Final Interview.
Candidates who are successful in making it through to the final round will be invited to attend an interview at Sumo Sheffield (COVID restrictions permitting).
What we offer:
. Defined Annual Bonus Scheme
. ULEV car scheme
. Monthly allowance to spend on enhancing benefits
. Salary Sacrifice Pension
. Flexible Working
. 21 days free-use holiday
+ your birthday off
+ 5 learning days including 1 volunteer day
+ a duvet day
+ Christmas shutdown from Christmas Eve to New Year
+ Bank Holidays
+ extra allowance accrued for longer service
. Free dental insurance
. Life Assurance 4x Salary
. Income Protection of 75% for 5 years
. Enhanced Mat/Paternity & Adoption pay
. Employee Assistance Programme:
. Help at Hand - Remote GP, Mental Health & Physio appointments
. Free financial & home buying support consultations
. Cycle to Work Scheme
. Payroll Giving Scheme
. Access to 4,000 Udemy Courses
. Career Development Pathway
. Wrap Parties.
. Project Completion Awards
. Game/Creative Jams
. Big Family Events
. Studio social activities, e.g. running, board games, film, yoga, life drawing…
. Prism – Sumo’s employee diversity focus group
. Free fruit and drinks in our studios
. Employee Referral Bonus
Where do we stand on diversity?
At Sumo, we want to enable everyone to bring their full, authentic selves to work every single day. We acknowledge that the games industry is far from perfect and a global organisation with people all over the world, from all kinds of backgrounds, we know it’s part of our duty to provide everyone at Sumo with a safe, accepting and affirming working environment.
We encourage and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
More about Sumo Sheffield
Sumo Sheffield is located just outside the city centre in Sumo Digital’s HQ, just off J34 on the M1 and a stone’s throw from the city’s primary shopping and leisure complex. With a multi-building campus comprised of industry-leading facilities, an onsite gym and subsidised canteen, Sumo Sheffield provides everything needed for all teams to create the world’s best games.
Sheffield is the fifth largest city in the UK and is easily accessible by road and rail from Leeds, Manchester and the Midlands. The city enjoys a wealth of facilities to suit a wide array of interests, including:
o World-class sports facilities
o Iconic theatres and galleries
o Multiple retail and shopping experiences
o Diverse and renowned restaurants and eateries
o The award-winning National Video Game Museum
More about Sumo Digital
Sumo Digital is an award-winning international family of studios. Recent releases from Sumo Digital studios include: BAFTA-Award winning Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Hood: Outlaws & Legends, Control Ultimate Edition on Google Stadia, Apple Arcade Award-winning Little Orpheus, Hot Shot Racing, WST Snooker and Spyder.
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