Multimedia programmer : Training

Skills and knowledge requirements move on very quickly in multimedia, and consequently the most important training consideration for programmers is to keep up to date with new developments. In most cases this means adapting existing skills to a new package, learning a new programming language or working with a new platform. This may be achieved by learning from other members of a team, attending short courses, keeping up to date via newsgroups, keeping an eye on websites that showcase the newest ideas, and reading specialist journals. Programmers may have to take responsibility for their own development.

The following are useful sources of development training:

• The British Film Institute (BFI) and Skillset: The Sector Skills Council for Creative Media publish lists of courses in media and multimedia.
• e-skills UK - The Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology maintains a directory of specialist courses and runs the Professional Programme for graduates and postgraduates aiming to obtain work-ready skills through a structured framework.
• BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT) offers a graduate professional diploma that covers subjects such as user interface design, software engineering and web engineering, and is taught at private institutions across the UK and elsewhere. The BCS publishes a range of IT-related courses and also helps by providing information and guidance to assist members in developing their expertise and recognising and planning their learning needs.
• FE and HE institutions run a variety of courses.