The Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) has revealed the 45 graduates who will take part in its ‘Best in Show’ internship competition. The DHDA received twice as many entries compared to 2010.
The competition places digital media and creative graduates in internships with leading companies in their chosen fields. To be in with a chance of winning, graduates must submit examples of their college work to be assessed by a panel of industry insiders.
Entries to ‘Best in Show’ are submitted under different categories: Animation, Audio/Music Production, Digital Design, Multimedia and Film/Video Production.
In addition to these five categories, a graduate from a community education centre – D8CEC, located in Dublin city centre – will win a work placement at The Digital Hub: for this category, the winner will complete a placement focusing on office administration skills.
Job increases in digital media expected
“Digital media is one area where there are actually going to be job increases in the next few years. Recent reports have highlighted the numbers of unfilled vacancies in this sector due, in large part, to the fact that companies are finding it difficult to find recruits with the necessary experience and skills,” said Dr Stephen Brennan, director of marketing and strategy with the DHDA.
“What The Digital Hub aims to do with ‘Best in Show’ is give new graduates an opportunity to gain high-quality work experience; to network within their chosen sector; and to gain valuable, on-the-job skills. We know from the success enjoyed by finalists in previous years that these internships give them a valuable edge when it comes to looking for full-time employment: last year, three of the winners went on to work on a more long-term basis with the companies where they completed their ‘Best in Show’ placements.”
All short-listed entries for ‘Best in Show’ are being assessed by representatives of the companies involved in the competition.
The winners in each category will be announced in September and a networking event for winning entrants will take place at The Digital Hub on 14 September.
At this event, Gary Mullan, co-founder of digital recruitment company Prosperity, will make a keynote address focusing on giving winning entrants advice on how to maximise the opportunities presented by their internships and get the most out of their work placements.
“Our aim with ‘Best in Show’ is not only to give new graduates some work experience, but also to equip them with skills and information that will serve them throughout their careers,” said Brennan.
The full list of shortlisted entrants for ‘Best in Show’ 2011, along with further information about the competition, is available online.
Photo: Dr Stephen Brennan, director of marketing and strategy with The Digital Hub, with representatives of the companies offering internship placements as part of the ‘Best in Show’ competition (Red Dog, Areaman Productions, payByMobile, the Tobacco Free Research Institute, Igloo Animations, Athena Media, Riviera Media Group and D8CEC)
