The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) and government agency Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have set a partnership with the Korean government for training programs for animators and game developers from the Philippines.

Aimed at further boosting the digital outsourcing sector in the Philippines, the training program was supported by the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), under the Korean government’s International Cooperation Program.

Two game developers, Joyce Macaspac and Joie Sales, and two animators, Cynthia Javier and Nelson Udaundo, participated in the nearly two-month training program held in Gyeonggi-do, Paju, South Korea. They completed specialist courses on software program education and in construction and design; and attended workshops on texturing and lighting, graphics modeling, and game art, which are industry-specific skills; and studied software such as Java, Unity 3D, 3D Max, and other e-learning programs. The four trainees were selected from a list of certified and recommended assessors and trainers of TESDA.

Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) president Alvin Juban said in a report published in teamasia.com that these kinds of partnerships can help the Philippine game development and animation sectors to market to future clients.

Juban added, “We hope to have our game developers and animators penetrate the global market and take a bigger slice of the global market. Immersing them in a successful and technologically-adept country such as Korea has surely given them the skills and training that they needed.”

Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI) president Grace Dimaranan, on the other hand, said that the Philippines’ gaming and animation sectors “carry a large potential for the Philippine information technology and business process management industry. By training our future leaders, they can strive to lead the next generation in building up the Philippines as the next prime destination for animation and gaming-related services.”

According to International research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global market for animation and gaming is projected to rise to US$242.93 billion by 2016 from US$122.20 billion in 2010. India is the current industry leader, taking 40% of the global game development and animation market which is at an estimated US$1.5 billion. Korea is at second place with a 15% share of the market and the Philippines is third with a 10% share.