Grass Valley has announced the launch of its Future Playmakers Program, a new initiative aimed at supporting and developing the next generation of professionals in sports production and media technology.
Launching ahead of the upcoming NAB Show, Montreal-headquartered Grass Valley will select up to 10 students annually for the program from participating partner institutions. They’ll receive financial support alongside access to experiential learning opportunities designed to “bridge the gap between academic study and real-world production environments.”
The “Grass Valley Montreal Technology Experience” will serve as a centrepiece of the program where students will engage directly with company tech and teams, including a factory tour, hands-on product demonstrations across cameras, production switchers, AMPP, and orchestration solutions, as well as live production workflow sessions and access to industry experts.
“Developing the next generation of talent is critical to the future of our industry,” said Jon Wilson, CEO of Grass Valley. “The Future Playmakers Program is about giving students real access to the tools, workflows, and experiences that define modern live production, while strengthening our partnerships with the institutions shaping that future workforce.”
“The industry is evolving quickly, and there is a clear need for talent that understands both production and technology,” said Greg Doggett, Vice President of Sales, NAM Sports, Grass Valley. “This program is designed to give students that exposure early, while helping higher education institutions build programs that reflect how live production operates today and gaining important exposure to where the industry is headed.”
Grass Valley says the program will enable post-secondary institutions to strengthen their production programs, while supporting a sustainable pipeline of operators, engineers, and production specialists, helping equip them to work in increasingly complex, IP-based, and software-defined environments.
In its first year, the company will select students from U.S. institutions only, with plans to expand in future.
