The British Toy & Hobby Association is keen to work with universities to encourage design students to think of the toy industry as a destination career.
The toy business is a fast moving, fashion industry that has to keep pace with children's ever-changing tastes and create new, exciting toys for children to play with and enjoy.
Although a lot of the manufacturing process is undertaken in the Far East, the UK remains a vibrant source of innovation in the design and marketing of toys.
The industry is constantly on the look out for young, innovative designers who can bring originality to the toys and games market.
From 2008 onwards, the BTHA has invited a number of university design students and their professors to the Toy Fair to have a look around the fair and meet the industry.
At present the BTHA is preparing a questionnaire for its members to find out where placement years can be found and which members are able to offer guidance and lectures to universities. We will share the results with you when we have them.
In the meantime if you are a course leader or a student wishing to attend the Toy Fair in 2011 please email natasha@btha.co.uk.
If you are considering the toy industry as a career you may wish to think about the following points;
- See if you have a toy company local to your college or home where you could try to get work experience while you study.
- A final year project based on a toy may demonstrate what you are capable of.
- Think about your intellectual property if you are showing a finished design to the toy industry. Many companies will not look at your design without secure IP arrangements. Visit http://www.ipo.gov.uk/
If you would like to find out about available positions within the industry you could try visiting the jobs pages of the trade publications;
http://www.toynewsmag.com/job-of-the-week
http://www.toysnplaythings.co.uk/recruitment_dir.php
Other useful links:
