I am in the 9th grade and I am just beginning to explore my future career, what are some careers and helpful next steps I should consider based on my passions and interests?

I don't know very much about this particular field, but I can suggest that you try to find some resources near you where you can experience what a career in one of these feels is like. If you're in a place where there are local game designers, you might be able to do some job shadowing or observe for a week. There might be opportunities to get an internship.

Or perhaps you live near places where there educational institutions that offer degrees in this. You might be able to sit in on a course. I believe there're also online courses that you might be able to audit for no credit. The main thing is to try to make some connections with people so that you can see what a day in the life working in this field looks like and then decide whether that looks like right for you.

Another idea is to make a list of all the things that interest you about video game design and then see if you could achieve them in other sorts of careers. You might discover that you like the creative storytelling aspect of video games and investigate a degree in marketing specializing in story-based marketing, which basically involves writing stories that explain how people use products. Think not just about the name of the job that you're interested in but about what sort of duties or activities attract you about this job. That will help you cast your net a little bit wider.

The other thing is to try designing your own video game. It's very common for people to enjoy playing video games and think they might like to be game designers but not actually enjoy the process of designing itself. There are lots of other careers involving video games and electronic media that might scratch that itch, so try designing your own game and see if the process is something that you really are enjoying or not. Maybe draft a couple of your friends to dive in with you. Who knows, if you come up with a great idea, you might be able to sell it to a video game company? At the very least, it'll give you a window on what that career might be like. Hope this helps!

Hello Israel, if you focus on Video Games mostly you have it pretty clear, as you mentioned Game Designer, Game Concept Designer, and Lead Game Developer. I would add Video Game Artist. As you don't mention the area where you live it's hard to say which University close by would fit your needs. It may not even be an university but a professional school like Ubisoft in Montreal, Canada, they have their own courses.

You will find some useful information here:

https://careers.5ca.com/blog/5-types-of-video-game-jobs/

If you focus on programming and drawing/art you could be a graphic/website designer, it depends on what attracts you most and what's available and affordable.

The next steps to take is checking out courses offering what you're interested in, see their curriculum and if you're really into studying it, trying to contact some professionals or students in that field and ask them how their job is really like, or at least look for some interviews.

Best of luck!

Hey Israel R,

there is nothing better than following your passion and making a career out of it! This such an amazing approach from a student who is only in the 9th grade! Absolutely, fantastic - well done.

Here are couple of career paths you can potentially follow:

1. Video Game Designer:

Any video game starts with a concept and includes the creation of the bellow aspects:

• Plots and storylines
• Characters
• Maps, scenarios, and difficulties
• Methods for winning or losing the game
• User interface creation

1. Video Game Tester - where they can experiment with coding and watch others’ mistakes firsthand. 
2. Lead Desaigners - re the coordinators of the team and are responsible for communication inside and outside of the design team, as well as making important decisions.
3. Game Mechanic Designers - works on the balance of the game and its rule system
4. Game environmental designer -  is responsible for creating the different scenarios and environments of the game.

You can also explore other related career paths such as Robotcs engineer, web designer, multimedia animator, software engineer, games artist, software quality assurance engineer and many more.

I would love to hear more which direction you have chosen to continue your education. Please do reach out if you have more questions.

I wish you best of luck,

Ana