In an email interview with Urmila Rao, Ninad Karpe, CEO &MD, APTECH discuses the current and future secnarioes with respect to training and employment in animation sector

Q: Does the education and training imparted in our animation colleges match up to the global requirement?
A: The last few years have seen the industry evolve and mature to deliver high international standard projects. These high quality projects are executed by Indian animators, most of them trained in India. Global experience of a decade in imparting quality education has helped us also in imparting industry-relevant quality training.

Q: Animation institutes are tying up with universities. How does the trend help the students?
A: Tie-ups with universities to offer degree courses in Animation and Multimedia make it a power-packed combination enhancing the employability of the students manifold. It opens up a world of opportunities for them in this sphere.

Q: A lot of animation institutes have opened up in the recent past. How should a student identify which ones provide quality education?
A: Reputation and experience are the two most critical factors. Students should pick up an institute that has high quality trainers with in depth knowledge, industry-relevant course curriculum and good infrastructure. Students should also verify on the placement and internship opportunities provided by the institute.

Q: What are your thoughts on the course content being taught to the students? Is it aligned to the industry requirement?
A:  Course content should be customized to provide hands-on experience. It should be designed in a manner that involves a lot of interaction with the industry by way of organizing field trips, events, seminars, talks and presentations.

Indian firms are looking at innovative ideas for shoring up their workforce. Apart from calling in industry experts, the industry is also tying up with institutions to develop and impart industry-specific course content.

Q: What are the attributes and skills required to be a performer in the sector?
A: In order to be successful as an animator, one should possess skills like creative and innovative thinking, focus and discipline, motivation and versatility. Meticulous observation skills can definitely give one an edge over the others. Skills required in animation fall under two categories, technical and soft skills. Drawing, design layout, techniques and training on relevant softwares, creating moods and putting feeling in characters are skills that can be acquired through a formal animation training programme from an institute of repute. But some of the skills can be imbibed only from careful observation.

Q: What is the scope of growth for ambitious professionals?How far is the  sector export-dependent?
A: Animation is a career which finds favour despite the slowdown. The animation industry has seen tremendous growth and is now becoming mainstream in film entertainment and television. India is increasingly presenting itself as a favourable destination for the foreign animation industry, particularly in post-production and 3-D content development. Many entertainment giants, such as Walt Disney,Sony Pictures and Turner Entertainment, which make and develop television commercials and computer games, are off-shoring animation content to India.  This has resulted in substantial increase in the number of professionals enrolling for animation courses (compound annual growth rate at 18.2 per cent).  In sum, the sector presents a huge job opportunity for the young and talented students of this country.