Empowering the Next Generation of Game Developers: A Conversation Between Endless and Generation
The gaming industry is rapidly evolving, and with it comes a growing demand for skilled developers. Generation, a global nonprofit that supports people in achieving economic mobility and a better life, has been instrumental in providing aspiring developers with the tools they need to succeed.
Endless is proud to support this mission, particularly through Generation’s Junior Unity Game Developer program in Colombia. This 13-week program recruits learners from under-resourced communities with an identified interest in game development and trains them remotely in the technical and behavioral skills needed to succeed in the job market. In addition to training, Generation provides mentorship, interview preparation, and job placement support so that the learners’ newly honed skills can be put to use.
With the support of Endless, Generation is focused on expanding this program’s reach and creating opportunities for more learners, especially women and those in smaller towns with limited career opportunities. This partnership also helps streamline business development with employers—historically 60% of program graduates find remote work and 16% of learners work outside of Colombia. Through tracking mobility pathways, and longitudinally surveying graduates and employers, Generation is committed to monitoring the breadth, depth and durability of this intervention to ensure positive impact that lasts. These elements coalesce together to build a stronger local gaming ecosystem.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Gabriela (Gabi) Paranhos, Generation’s Latin America COO, to discuss the impact and future of the Junior Unity Game Developer program in Colombia.
“I love to witness the tangible impact we have on people’s lives as we help learners change their economic trajectory and create opportunities for themselves and their families.”
- Gabi Paranhos
Latin America COO
What inspired the launch of the Junior Unity Game Developer program?
Gabi: We always begin with employer needs—We ask: Where is the mismatch between what employers need and the talent available? Our programs are designed to fill that gap. The Junior Unity Game Developer program started in Pakistan, addressing the struggles of lower-tier university degree holders trying to enter the job market. We saw the video game market growing significantly and recognized the potential in Colombia, which has a vibrant gaming community.
How does this program align with Generation’s broader mission of workforce development?
Gabi: At Generation, our mission is to generate change through employment, not only by training people, but also by influencing the ecosystem of employers and partners. We want to help them make decisions that will ultimately support a healthier job market. When we think about the impact of our program, we consider how many people we can serve and also how many employers we can bring to our network to hire program graduates. We’ve had 251 graduates from the Junior Unity Game Developer program in Colombia to date, and have 182 employers in our network. Within 180 days, 81% of graduates are placed into jobs and 89% of them are earning above the living wage soon after graduation.
Are there any standout success stories from graduates of the Junior Unity Game Developer program?
Gabi: One of my favorite stories is about a learner from our second cohort. Yoleidys, originally from Venezuela, migrated to Colombia with the hope of finding work. She used her background in mechanical engineering and applied it to the video game industry where she worked with 3D models. However, she didn’t have any formal training in the field. Generation gave her the opportunity to learn how to become a developer in the gaming industry and this became the turning point in her career. After graduating from the program, Yoleidys secured a job as a 3D artist at a Colombian company that develops video games. She’s currently working towards her career goal of becoming a visual artist.
How does the program ensure that graduates are job-ready (whether in game design fields or other industries)? What skills do they leave with?
Gabi: Our goal is for learners to truly experience what jobs in the industry look like. The program teaches technical, behavioral, and mindset skills and covers the different facets of game development in a hands-on manner. At the end of the program, learners will have three projects to include in their portfolio. We focus on nurturing our alumni network as well. Our alumni engage with our learners and offer them mentoring after the program concludes. I’d estimate that about 40% of the graduates secure jobs in companies where alumni have been placed before, so this is a really important aspect of the program.
Keeping a pulse on the growing needs of employers is another important piece, and employer feedback is at the core of our curriculum development. We engage with the local gaming communities and conduct an annual employer survey to assess how our graduates perform in the workforce. We also review data to make sure that we’re addressing industry trends. For instance, we recently added an artificial intelligence (AI) module to our program to ensure our learners have experience with this rapidly evolving technology.
What are the biggest barriers aspiring game developers face today, and how does the program help overcome them?
Gabi: One barrier our learners face is finding their first job. Job requirements for entry level jobs in technology have increased. Our program prepares learners for these roles by ensuring that they graduate with a portfolio of three robust projects featuring solo work as well as team work.
Another barrier is lack of connections. Since many of our learners come from backgrounds outside of the industry, they can struggle to network with professionals in their field. We help our learners improve their networking skills and also provide them with connections to other communities through initiatives like our alumni network.
What is your hope for growing the program in the future?
Gabi: We want to continuously evolve our curriculum and social support systems as the labor market and industry grows and changes. 79% of our learners were unemployed before joining, so there’s a strong demand for programs like ours. We also hope to expand beyond Colombia to reach even more aspiring developers.
How can employers and industry leaders support programs like this to create more pathways into jobs (whether in game development or beyond)?
Gabi: There are a few ways employers and industry leaders can help. The first is to adopt a skills-based hiring approach rather than focusing solely on degrees. The second is to connect with early-career talent through community engagement. The third is a combination of knowledge sharing, mentoring aspiring developers, or volunteering with industry organizations like Generation. Finally, employers can help by providing visibility for small studios, new talent, and freelancers.
What has been the most rewarding part of seeing this program grow?
Gabi: I love to witness the tangible impact we have on people’s lives as we help learners change their economic trajectory and create opportunities for themselves and their families. We’re impacting a niche market in Colombia, and seeing these unique opportunities reach small towns and communities is particularly meaningful.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering a new career in game development, what would it be?
Gabi: Focus on building, not just learning. Work on projects collaboratively and actively network—these connections often lead to job opportunities.
With support from Endless, Generation is helping transform the gaming industry by equipping the next generation of developers with the skills, connections, and confidence needed to succeed. If you’re an employer or industry leader, we encourage you to get involved—together, we can create a more inclusive and dynamic future for game development.