I thank you for the invitation to participate in this session.
What I can offer the committee is an overview of the programs we have that address the needs of the Canadian software entertainment industry, and also some anecdotal information coming from our advisory committees and the faculty who work with us at the college.
I will start with the programs we have. We have four different programs that address the needs of the industry.
We have a two-year diploma in multi-media design and development and a three-year advanced diploma in web design and interactive media. The difference between these two programs is that the latter is focused on the development of mobile applications for android, iOS, or BlackBerry tablets and smartphones.
We also have a three-year advanced diploma in game programming, and the focus of this program is programming. It's not a program for artists; it's a program for developing coders.
We have a three-year advanced diploma in 3D animation. This is a program for art. This is a program where the graduates will develop the assets that the game programmers will require. We're talking about characters; we're talking about environments and animation, all those kinds of things.
We also have been approved just recently—last month—for a one-year foundation of art program that will give the opportunity to students who don't have a portfolio to gain entrance into the more advanced programs that require a portfolio.
We are waiting for approval of a bachelor of fine arts program. We have heard from our advisory committees. They've requested to have people with a higher level of education. It's not only skills-based, but it's also that we have a foundation or strong knowledge in fine arts, and then we develop this program. It is a combination of skills-based study and a strong background in fine arts, which I think is a really interesting proposition for the market.
As you can see, we have developed different pathways to form professionals who can be successful in the Canadian software entertainment industry.
In terms of growth, the number of applications for this cluster of programs has doubled from 2007 to 2012. As an example, game programming was a program that started in 2007 with only one section. It quickly grew to two sections, and we're planning a third section of students for 2013.
The focus of the program is a moving target, as technologies shift quickly. It makes it a challenging cluster of programs to manage, in several aspects. First, we have to keep the curriculum up to date, and second, we have to keep the facilities and the faculty up to date as well in terms of meeting industry standards for professionals who are going to be working in the industry.
Another aspect of this is the applied research. Humber, as a degree-granting institution, is investing resources in doing applied research with industry partners, which I think can lead to really interesting developments in the areas of graphical user interface or usability and interactive media in general.
Last week we hosted a delegation from the Shenzhen Polytechnic university in China. They are interested in doing joint programs in applied research and courses, which I think opens up a number of really interesting opportunities for our students to develop skills that will be really valuable in the market.
When it comes to employment, I would say that 70% to 85% of our graduates find employment within 6 to 12 months after graduation in a related field, which is really good. The more fragmented nature of the industry in the GTA, with a large number of smaller developers, is a good fit for the programs we have. The situation is different in Montreal, where you have bigger players. The larger players want to hire people with a number of years of experience, which a recent graduate won't have.
Even though we've been successful lately in placing some of our most talented graduates in companies like Ubisoft or Gameloft, there are always opportunities to continue strengthening the links with our industry partners. There are initiatives like Gamercamp, or Digifest, or the Great Canadian Appathon, where students can really showcase their skills. It's a good meeting place for industry and graduates to understand the needs of the one and the capabilities and skills of the others.
There are also opportunities to develop more applied research. As I said before, there are game labs, usability labs, and international collaboration projects, but all these have a cost. These programs are costly and expensive to run, but I believe that if you want to continue with Canada in a leadership position in this sector, we need to continue investing more in these areas.
Another challenge we face is the speed of the industry. For example, we started planning our BFA in animation in mid-2011. We submitted the proposal to the ministry by the end of 2011. We're still waiting for approval. By the end of the process, we won't be able to offer this program, I don't think, until fall 2014, with the first graduates coming to the market in fall 2018. We're talking about six years from starting to plan to having the first graduate hit the market. In six years, the technology landscape will probably be very different from what it is today.
There are a number of opportunities and challenges. I think it's a very exciting place to be. Humber continues to invest in the programs and in the professional development of faculty to keep up with the pace of the industry.
That's what I can offer. Thank you.