The Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) provides a seriously fun learning environment and is seriously good at what it does. The first specialist game institution at the time of its establishment in 1996, its graduates today work in the top creative studios around the world and contribute to the success of acclaimed games such as Gears of War 4 and movie blockbusters such as Mad Max: Fury Road.

Established as a non-profit organisation to grow the creative digital sector, AIE pioneered the development of specialist game qualifications through industry partnerships and dynamic teaching. As one of the most awarded 3D animation, game design and visual FX educators in the world, the Small Training Provider of the Year Award at the 2016 Australian Training Awards, is a very welcome accolade for the company in its 20th year of operation.

“Having started out as industry trailblazers 20 years ago it’s fantastic recognition and validation to have the judges look at us objectively and confirm we are performing to a standard of excellence,” said AIE’s Director of Business Development and Marketing, Neil Boyd.

“When success is often measured by the number of students through the door, we distinguish ourselves by being about quality rather than quantity. AIE’s number one focus is on helping our students to succeed and it is very pleasing to have our student-centric approach rewarded.”

Also validating AIE’s approach is the consistently positive feedback received from student satisfaction surveys, with 91 per cent of students indicating they are satisfied with their training and 93 per cent indicating they would recommend the training to others.

Neil attributes much of AIE’s success to its focus on teacher quality and attracting the best of the best. "The quality of what you do and the outcomes you achieve are only as good as your teachers on the front line. Our teachers are absolutely committed and invested in their students. They are expert, passionate and inspiring.”

Neil observed more generally that having worked across many sectors he has found that the teachers in the VET sector are some of the most passionate he’s come across. “They can take students who haven’t enjoyed school and their experience of learning and get them interested and excited about learning again.

“It is really important to value and celebrate the work and achievements of those in the sector and that’s what the Australian Training Awards do so well. For us the award is a stamp of quality which will inspire confidence from the industry, teachers and students. At a time when there’s a lot of debate about private providers, this award is very important for us and will help to drive our reputation as an industry leader well into the future.”