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With the time quickly drawing near for decisions to be made regarding university, we thought we would put together a little list of 8 reasons to study here with us at Futureworks.
Smaller class sizes
Research has shown that students who’ve been taught in smaller classes end up getting higher grades and perform better in exams. However, results aside we feel that smaller classes are an integral factor when it comes to a top-class education.
In a smaller class, each student is noticed, meaning that the chances of you falling behind on work are significantly reduced. It also means that our tutors can give each student the attention they need, and if you have any questions at all, it’s often less daunting to ask in front of fewer people.
Smaller classes have the opportunity to become a closer-knit community. You’re able to connect more closely with your fellow classmates, and that means feeling more comfortable when sharing ideas and opinions. It also allows more room for long-lasting friendships. This interaction with other students allows for a bond to grow with people from different walks of life, deepening what you get out of your course as you work together throughout your degree.
Consistently highly rated
We have recently been voted 3rd best “Small or Specialist Institution” in the UK at the What Uni Student Choice Awards 2022.
This is a huge honour, and we’re so proud, especially because it’s the result of votes and ratings submitted by those who matter the most – students. It’s testimony to the hard work and effort that is put in everyday by all of our Futureworks staff. Everyone is dedicated to making life at Futureworks as fulfilling and worthwhile for our students as possible.
The latest National Student Survey shows that students love Futureworks. In some cases, more than any other University in the country.
The 2021 National Student Survey collated the opinions of four million students in the UK, including those attending Futureworks. Each student was asked 27 questions ranging from subjects like overall satisfaction of their course to the quality of learning resources – and we got some great feedback!
Futureworks is the number 1 specialist provider of higher education for the creative arts in the UK for:
• Overall satisfaction
• Learning opportunities
• Assessment and feedback
• Learning resources
Futureworks is the number 1 specialist provider of higher education in the UK for:
• Feedback
• Teaching
And finally, Futureworks students rated Futureworks above all UK universities for:
• Academic support
Teaching delivered by industry professionals
Many of our tutors are actively working in their respective fields. This means they’re able to reliably pass on up to date knowledge and skills. Additionally, it allows for contact with businesses and other professionals, as well as work experience opportunities for students.
Our Sound & Music staff have tons of experience in the music industry, working with well-known artists such as Busted, Bros and McFly to record and produce their albums. They also regularly mix music for festivals, in a variety of different genres, meaning that they’re well-equipped to provide our students with advice they can trust.
Our Art & Design tutors are also regularly active in their respective fields. We have published authors, board game creators, animators, and scriptwriters – even a copywriter for Apple. The jobs that you can undertake with experience in Art & Design are so much broader than just animation or games design.
Our Film & TV staff work on so many fantastic projects. We have award-winning directors teaching our students the ins and outs of working in the film industry. They undertake regular work at companies like the BBC, as well as create their own successful, award winning films.
Accredited with other companies
Our relationship with various companies within the creative industry means that we are afforded some fantastic opportunities as a university. We have a lot of networks built up over the years through both our courses and our tutors.
Futureworks are currently the only institution in Manchester that is a recognised Unreal Academic Partner.
Unreal Engine is “the world’s most advanced real-time 3D creation tool for photoreal visuals and immersive experiences” created by Epic Games. Epic Games is a “leading interactive entertainment company and provider of 3D engine technology. Epic operates Fortnite, one of the world’s largest games.”
Unreal have acknowledged that our student’s work, our courses and teaching of the material is good enough to make us a partner.
As a result, Students on our Game Art, Games Design, VFX, and Game Audio courses will get their Artstation accounts upgraded to Pro Licence for free. We’ll also get access to Sketchfab 3D Asset Management. Other benefits include credits for the Unreal Marketplace, as well as advanced registration opportunities for educational events, training, internships and hiring events.
We’re so excited about it because not only does it give our students some great perks, it’s a great feeling to be recognised by Epic Games themselves.
Futureworks is also an ALP or Avid Learning Partner. This means that we’re able to deliver and embed Avid Certified training within our degree programmes. We also have Avid Certified Instructors who work as Futureworks tutors.
Avid is the gold standard in video and audio editing software. Their tech is used in countless productions and they’ve won numerous industry awards. They make software and a massive range of hardware which we have and use at Futureworks. We make effective use of Pro-Tools Ultimate (audio software) and Media Composer (video editing software), the two world-leading platforms in audio and visual entertainment, from music through to films, news, games and more.
Leading VFX and CGI studio Realtime UK have enjoyed an ongoing collaboration with Futureworks since 2016. Their clients include the BBC, HBO, Netflix and Amazon – to name a few! They regularly engage with our students on high-profile, commercial projects.
Facilities
Based in Manchester across two sites, Futureworks offers a range of industry standard studios and facilities designed to give you the real-world training necessary for you to start your career.
Our main Riverside building in the centre of Manchester has 12 music, mastering and post-production studios. They’re perfect for Music and Audio Engineering students. They feature top of the range consoles such as Neve, Avid S6, SSL and Icon, with stunning monitoring and classic microphones to match. All of our classrooms and edit suites boast a wide range of professional software including Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live & Apple’s Logic Pro.
Game Art, Games Design and Animation students have specially built classrooms packed with the latest hardware. Each room has industry standard software such as: Autodesk Maya, Motion Builder, Adobe Creative Suite and Pixologic ZBrush. They also run Unreal Engine, Substance Painter and Designer, TV Paint and Toon Boom Storyboard Pro.
Creative studios and drop-in facilities with individual workstations are available so students can continue to work on projects day or night. There are also learning resources such as rostrum cameras, light boxes and graphics tablets to help you work independently on projects.
For Filmmaking, Post-production, Animation and Visual Effects we also have purpose-built computer labs equipped with Avid Media Composer, Maya, Houdini, Nuke, Pro Tools and the Adobe Creative Suite. This is in addition to our dedicated colour-grading suite and render farm.
Our Futureworks Studios site near Media City UK has 8,000 square feet of creative studio space, with fully professional filming facilities. It includes set building space and a 12 metre by 4 metre green screen incorporating industry standard infinity curves. Our 36 square metre Motion Capture Suite includes the latest OptiTrack optical motion capture system. A range of industry standard camera and lighting equipment is also available for students to book out and use for coursework or personal projects.
Graduate successes
We’re so proud to be able to boast so highly about how well our graduates have gone on to do in their creative careers. Most recently, Enos Desjardins, one of our former Audio Engineering students, has shared that he will be working on the sound team for ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning”, the newest instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise.
Futureworks routinely produces graduates of very high quality. Students such as Richie Martin and Eugen Marinof now hold senior artist positions at world-renowned game studio and publisher Ubisoft.
Others have gone on to work at renowned companies like Realtime UK as visual effects artists. Many have prominent positions within the Games Industry too, in which they oversee important creative decisions on high profile projects.
It is no exaggeration to say that Futureworks’ alumni network now contains graduates working at every level of the digital creative industries, both in the UK and across the globe! Our graduates are shaping the future of entertainment and culture. For example, Joe Nattrass, sound recordist, has worked on blockbuster film projects such as ‘Jurassic World’ and the Oscar award-winning ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
Others have gone on to work in production roles at the BBC – located nearby Futureworks in MediaCityUK. Our graduates have worked on big projects including Downton Abbey, Avengers: Infinity War and Guardians of the Galaxy. We also have former students working in the creative industries overseas for household names including IMAX, Amazon Studios, Universal Studios, Warner Bros, Netflix and IMDbTV.
Widening Participation
At Futureworks we endeavour to create a warm and friendly learning environment that welcomes and is accepting of students of all backgrounds and capabilities. Promotion of diversity in our student culture is an important part of our ethos: we consider a rich and diverse student body a privilege and benefit to the learning environment of our organisation. As part of this commitment, we perform an Annual Diversity Report to identify where we can enhance our provision, and to hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Futureworks is committed to the pursuit of academic excellence, equal opportunities and to a pro-active and inclusive approach to equality. We aim to foster a culture which supports and encourages all under-represented groups, promotes inclusion, and values diversity.
Our Widening Participation Ambassadors are students who work with our Widening Participation Officer to deliver outreach workshops and talks to schools, colleges, community groups to show people of all backgrounds that they too can take steps towards a career in the creative industries.
We also have a Futureworks Summer School coming up in August. We’re reaching out to young people to encourage them to sign up, learn how to record music, edit films and design games. Those who attend our Summer School will be able to get to grips with our cutting-edge industry equipment under the guidance of industry professionals to learn new, useful and transferable skills. We want everybody to have the chance to experience and consider a career in the creative industries.
So, there we have it, eight reasons to study at Futureworks – and that’s not all. There’s so much more we could mention, so look forward to future posts!
