SKILLS BOOTCAMP IN UNITY PROGRAMMING
Unlock your immersive and game development skills with our Unity Bootcamp
NextGen is proud to introduce a transformative free 16-week Skills Bootcamp for the West England Combined Authority region, delivered in partnership with techSPARK!
Our Skills Bootcamp focuses on Unity Programming. Whether you’re interested in immersive, game development, or looking to enhance your coding prowess, this Skills Bootcamp is designed to equip you with the technical practice and portfolio you need, with a focus on real-world applications and job-readiness.
Industry-backed & expert-guided
This Skills Bootcamp isn’t just about learning how to code; it’s about immersing yourself in the world of programming with strong industry support. Created in collaboration with techSPARK and supported by local immersive and games studios, it features industry-approved content and guidance from seasoned developers and Unity experts. Your learning experience will be enriched by experienced programming tutors, sessions with a careers coach, and industry masterclasses.
What You'll Learn
Our curriculum is designed to equip aspiring programmers with a comprehensive skill set in Unity and C#. Over the course of 16 weeks, you’ll explore the fundamentals, including scene construction, C# programming, 3D and 2D mechanics, animation, system design, and user interface creation.
Each week features hands-on assignments and projects that allow you to apply your knowledge effectively in real-world scenarios. Scroll down or click here for the full week-by-week schedule.
Participants will master essential coding techniques and create work that demonstrates their proficiency in Unity. By the end of the Skills Bootcamp, you’ll be ready to tackle programming challenges with a learning experience that sets you apart from the competition.
Is this for you?
This opportunity is tailored for individuals aged 19+ who have a basic to intermediate understanding of coding and want to break into the immersive or gaming industry. Ideal participants should have a passion for creating interactive experiences and an eagerness to learn new technologies.
Eligible participants will already live in the West England Combined Authority region, or have serious intent to live and work here.
While previous experience with Unity or other development tools like Unreal Engine or Godot is an advantage, it’s not a strict requirement. If you have transferable skills from related fields, such as software development, digital design, or 3D modeling, you are still encouraged to apply.
This Unity Bootcamp is perfect for programmers who are ready to turn their passion into a professional career. Read more about eligibility and the West England Combined Authority region here.
Read on for more information, or if you're ready to take the next step you can Apply here! (Applications close on Sunday 29th September 2024).
What are Skills Bootcamps?
Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and an offer of an interview with an employer upon completion.
This Skills Bootcamp in 3D Character Animation is part of the Skills Bootcamps Programme funded and managed by the West of England Combined Authority, led by Metro Mayor Dan Norris, and delivered by NextGen Skills Academy.
Skills Bootcamp Schedule
Indicative content
Week 1
Introduction to Unity
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Unity basics: Learn engine properties and C# integration
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Interface & tools: Navigate editor panels, components, and systems
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3D scene creation: Build simple 3D scenes using Unity
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 2
Introduction to C#
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OOP & classes: Grasp object-oriented programming and class structures
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Core concepts: Master properties, variables, data types, and methods
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Code best practices: Learn coding patterns, paradigms, and conventions
Week 3
C# continued
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Syntax & semantics: Brackets, whitespace, and syntax vs. semantics
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Control flow: Work with conditionals and debugging tools
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APIs & documentation: Explore APIs like DoTween and learn proper documentation
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 5
Data structures
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Data types: Lists, arrays, and dictionaries
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Advanced structures: Compound types and mesh generation
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Decoupling: Learn and apply decoupling
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 4
Collisions and triggers
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3D assets: Use standard 3rd-person assets
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Methods: Apply methods and basic mechanics
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Prototyping: Build 3D blockouts with ProBuilder
Week 6
Animation and time
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Time management: Use the Time class and handle delta times
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Animation: Work with animators, parameters, and events
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Advanced techniques: Implement lerps, tweens, and animation curves
Week 7
System Design
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System design: Overview and problem breakdown
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Activity diagrams: Visualise workflows
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Class diagrams: Define system structure
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 8
3rd Person Prototype Development
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Scene management: Handle scenes and settings
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Build settings: Configure and optimise builds
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Packaging: Prepare prototypes for release
Week 9
Introduction to 2D
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Physics: Rigidbodies and physics manipulation
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Controls: Input management and character controllers
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2D elements: Sprites, tilemaps, and effectors
Week 10
Prefabs, Particles and Projectiles
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Prefabs: Create, use, and store prefab assets
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Particles: Utilise Unity’s particle system
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Trigonometry: Apply for projectiles and effects
Week 11
Maths and AI
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Introduction to raycasts and vector math
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AI fundamentals: Line of sight, randomness, and waypoints
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Advanced concepts: Bezier curves and pathfinding
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 12
User Interfaces
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UI setup: Configure Unity UI and Canvas
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Data display: Use text, sliders, and buttons
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Advanced UI: Scaling, Unity Events, and TextMesh Pro
Week 13
Conscientious Coding
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Code Practices: Commenting, documentation, and custom editors
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Attributes & Gizmos: Enhance code with attributes and visual tools
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Optimisation: Use Unity Profiler for performance improvements.
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 14
Request Week
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Responding to learner topic requests gathered over the duration of Skills Bootcamp
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A chance to revisit and brush up on what you've learned so far
Week 15
2D Prototype Development
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MVP concept: Develop a Minimum Viable Product
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Intuitive design: Apply intuitive game design and polish
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Data management: Implement saving/loading and high scores
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Overview of 3D animation including the 12 Principles of Animation
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How to apply these principles to 3D animation
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Introduction to the 3D animation pipeline and industry standards
Week 16
Course Wrap-Up & Career Launch
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Web Builds: Create web builds and use portal APIs
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Career Prep: Focus on brand building and interview preparation
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Career Options: A look at career options in immersive and games
Skills Bootcamp Delivery
Your learning experience
The Skills Bootcamp spans 16 weeks, with three hours of guided learning each week. Additionally, participants are expected to dedicate three hours to independent work.
There will also be some in-person working days and events (dates TBC), ensuring that you get to connect with fellow participants.
Your guides
Dedicated tutor: Under the guidance of our experienced tutor, you'll master the art of Unity programming.
Career Coach: You’ll join a careers coach for essential employability lessons and one-to-one support. Helping you develop the skills to kickstart your career.
The Platform: NextGen RISE
You'll share work for feedback on the NextGen RISE platform. Created by Tom Box, Co-Founder of Blue Zoo Animation Studio, RISE simulates a creative studio pipeline, all within one platform.
Effective team communication will be facilitated through dedicated Discord servers.
Masterclasses and studio insights!
Get a behind-the-scenes look into the industry with studio insights and masterclasses hosted by experienced professionals.
ELIGIBILITY
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You must be 19 years or older
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You must have a basic to intermediate understanding of coding , a passion for interactive experiences and a willingness to learn, regardless of prior experience with Unity or other development tools.
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You need to live in, or intend to work in, the West of England Combined Authority area, which includes Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire. Scroll down for a map of the West England Combined Authority region, you can also find your local authority by entering your postcode here.
Inclusivity
We're committed to inclusivity. Our goal is to provide training opportunities for everyone, making our industries more representative of our society. We encourage applications from those underrepresented in the creative industries.
Right to Work
To join any NextGen Futures Skills Bootcamp, you must have the right to work and stay in the UK at the time of application.
Time Commitment
You should be able to dedicate 6 hours a week for the 16-week Skills Bootcamp. This includes 3 hours of remote tutor-led lessons and 3 hours of self-study. Group tutor sessions will take place in the evenings to help you fit learning around other commitments.
There will also be some in-person events that will take place over the duration of the Skills Bootcamp. Exact dates will be confirmed after the course starts - these will be informed by participants as we want as many people as possible to attend.
The Skills Bootcamp in Unity Programming runs from the week commencing Monday 4th November 2024 for 16 weeks (exact lesson dates to be confirmed) with a break for Christmas. The Skills Bootcamp will finish in March 2025.
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