http://www.igda.org/RoadMap2011
The IGDA recently published their 2011 roadmap, a yearlong plan of events for both professional developers and students interested in breaking into the industry. I had an opportunity to read through the it inbetween classes today, and the student focused events in particular are pretty excited.

• “Breaking In” content launch. Interviews where developers share how they got into the industry, and other videos with tons of advice on how to get your foot into the door.
• Ask A Developer. A website will be set up that students can email questions to and have them answered by professional developers. They also be sending out a monthly mailing list. I find this idea to be one of my personal favorites
• Tools & Best Practices Webinars. A tools archive, rich with information on get the best results from a wide variety of game development tools from Maya and 3DS Max to Unity and Unreal Engine.
• Student Showcase. Students can have projects displayed at major industry events such as GDC and get feedback from both students and developers. I think students submit projects to the IGDA, from which a select group are chosen to be showcased. I’ll keep a lookout for more information as to how this process works.
• Scholarships. Last, but certainly not least, students can apply for a variety of scholarships to win some very excited opportunities, such as all expense paid trips to events such as Pax and E3.

With all of these efforts and more devoted to promoting the growth of the next generation’s game developer’s, I can’t wait for the Rochester chapter to get more involved with the roadmap. Plus, after hearing about all of the studios this year’s IGDA Scholars were taken around to and given a chance to meet, I need to start building up a strong portfolio for next year’s application!