Kilkenny studio takes part in Animation, VFX & Games Graduate Traineeship 2022 Round 2

Cartoon Saloon Kilkenny are offering an opportunity to experience animation training as part of a scheme under the management of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland (Screen Ireland) and Animation Skillnet.

Five trainees will receive on-the-job training and mentoring with leading Irish animation, VFX, and games studios under the Animation, VFX & Games Graduate Traineeship. Lucky participants will team up with host studios, including Kilkenny based Cartoon Saloon for the second programme of 2022.

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The traineeship, which has been running since 2016, has an excellent track record with over 90% of participants going on to gain further work in the industry, either with their host studio or with another studio. Last year 16 trainees were placed in studios for the two programmes of 2021, and earlier this year a further 9 trainees were placed in studios. A report on the traineeship published by Animation Skillnet in August 2022 highlighted the positive impact of the programme for both trainees and participating studios. 

Targeted at developing skills and talent in the Irish animation, VFX, and games sectors, this version of the programme will take place over a 3 month period. It will involve a mix of on-the-job learning and mentoring with studios remotely as well as additional specialist training delivered through Screen Ireland and Animation Skillnet.

The 3 participating studios and 5 trainees for the second Graduate Traineeship Programme of 2022 are: Cartoon Saloon - Sarah Radcliffe and Jasmine Anderson, StoryToys - Jamie Grant and Dearbhla Reid and Piranha Bar - Andrei Filip.

The traineeship kicks off on Tuesday, 25th October 2022 with a week of specialised online training, featuring talks from experts on the latest creative and technological advances in the area of VFX and animation, as well as soft skills such as emotional intelligence and time management.

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Speaking about the traineeship, Gareth Lee, Manager of the skills department within Screen Ireland, said: “We are very pleased to be launching this year's second iteration of this highly successful programme. We were delighted to be able to support nine trainees earlier this year and 16 trainees in total over the course of 2021. The Irish animation, VFX, and games sectors are hugely important to Ireland’s digital and creative economy and the traineeship continues to be an integral link to bring new talent into the sector.”