It is never too early to begin exposing kids and teens to possible career paths. Do you have a daughter or son who is obsessed with video games? Maybe a future career in the video game industry is a real possibility. Are you surrounded by pint-sized foodies? Maybe the culinary arts are a fulfilling and lucrative career path. You help them explore passions now that could develop into careers in future.
Seattle is home to amazing education and training providers, many of whom focus on professional-level skills taught by experts in their industries. This summer some of these providers are offering camps and classes for kids and teens wanting to get their feet wet in career paths that fascinate them.
The Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) is specializes in video game development, animation, visual effects, and film education at the college level. They also offer video game design, 3D animation, and development camps in the summer months, taught by advanced students in their college-level programs.
Executive director James Cardo says, ‘”I love the opportunities that AIE affords its students, especially in channeling their boundless creative energy into practical lessons that will allow them to work in their chosen field.” Summer camp students have access to industry-standard technology and software tools and are able to get a significant head-start should they later choose to enroll in AIE’s college programs.
If younger students continue to show interest and want to take their training to the next level, then AIE’s 2-year college program could get them into the workplace quickly. AIE boasts a 70% student placement rate in industry careers post-graduation.
Blue Ribbon Cooking offers professional-level culinary training for adults, kids and teens. Many of their young students have pursued culinary careers. Instructor Vanessa Smith was born and raised in a cooking school where learning the art and science of cooking fueled her passion for teaching kids and teens (age 2-18).
“We have had so many kids end up in culinary arts after learning what it’s like to work in the kitchen in a professional sense,” says Vanessa. “It is neat to see that circle complete when they come back to us as professionals in the culinary industry. One student went to our cooking camp each summer from ages 5-13, then worked as an intern for us. She now works for a very high-end restaurant in New York City, having realized at a young age that her passion for cooking went well beyond a hobby.”
TheFilmSchool is another creative education provider offering serious, industry-level training opportunities for those interested in visual storytelling and film. They offer a summer program for teens to help acclimate them to the career possibilities in various exciting industries like interactive media and film. These sorts of careers are hot and promise to continue to be some of the better choices in the rapidly advancing, technological future.
Indulge your kids’ passions this summer and watch them bloom into a future.
For all summer camp ideas, go to Connect2Classes.
