Video games—a springboard to a promising career?
Work
The Ministère du Travail, de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale launches a new and innovative advertising initiative to introduce tomorrow’s trades to today’s youth. Created by Cossette, the “One passion, a ton of options” campaign seeks to inform people aged 14 to 24 of career opportunities in information technology (IT), construction and engineering.
The pandemic has caused major shifts in the province’s job market. From labour shortages to career changes, uncertainty has set in among Quebecers—especially teens and young adults. More than half of them say the recent disruptions have influenced their vision of work (Academos, February 2021).
Nonetheless, without knowing it, youth are developing key skills for their future simply by engaging in daily activities they enjoy, like playing video games. To show the members of this age group that many careers are within closer reach than they ever would’ve imagined, Cossette produced a series of live broadcasts (French only) on Twitch.TV, a streaming platform that’s trending among our target audience.
For the first time in Québec, well-known video game influencers—along with social media celebrities popular with young people—handed the reigns of their Twitch channels to experts in the fields of IT, construction and civil engineering. Their mission was to prove to gamers that the skills they’ve developed by playing are vital in the job market.
Here are the trios who teamed up on Twitch:
Yamlal Gotame, an IT consultant, joined forces with MadameZoum and Massi Mahiou to promote careers in IT and show viewers live how to code a video game from A to Z.
David Girard, a carpentry and woodworking instructor, met with influencers MahdiBa and Livia Martin to talk about careers in the construction industry. Together, they built structures worthy of the greatest architects in one of the world’s most popular games.
Kathy Baig, the president of the Québec Order of Engineers (OIQ), was joined by Massi Mahiou and influencer Steelorse to discuss jobs in the field of engineering through a game in which they recreated and managed a Montréal neighbourhood in real time.
Cossette Media developed the media strategy and campaign rollout. In addition to its activation on Twitch.TV, the initiative includes online and social media ads, content partnerships, a campaign website, and an influencer marketing strategy led by Citoyen.