Education
The Quest for Young Talent
Education Today & Tomorrow
ON SITE
Raum Reutlingen
Thursday, May 07, 14:30
The Survival Kit for Digital Creatives: Future-Proof Skills, Roles, and Moves That Work in 2026
Video on demand
Early-career talent is entering a market that is fragmented, fast-moving, and increasingly shaped by real-time workflows, AI-enabled pipelines, and cross-discipline collaboration. Drawing on AVENUE’s first-year research across five ecosystems (Virtual Production, Animation, Games, XR, and Visual Storytelling), this interactive panel translates evidence into practical strategies for landing paid projects or getting hired.
Senior experts from AVENUE partner organisations will share what employers and clients consistently reward today: demonstrable skills over titles, portfolio signals that de-risk hiring, collaboration readiness, and a clear professional positioning. We will cover common failure modes (portfolio mismatch, unclear role narrative, weak networking mechanics, unrealistic expectations) and provide concrete fixes: how to target the right entry points, how to present transferable skills, how to approach studios and clients, and how to build credibility quickly through small, strategic wins.
Audience involvement is built into the format. Participants will bring their real questions, and we will use live prompts to diagnose challenges, surface patterns, and co-create actionable next steps. Attendees will leave with a checklist of moves they can apply immediately: portfolio adjustments, outreach templates, skill-prioritisation, and “next 30 days” actions aligned with current industry demand.
Sofie Appel, Study Counsellor, The Animation Workshop, VIA University College
Sofie Krogh Appel is a Study Counsellor at The Animation Workshop / VIA University College, Denmark, where she works across student support, teacher collaboration, and industry‑facing initiatives. She has a broad overview of, and an active stake in, many of The Animation Workshop’s measures designed to prepare students for their careers—including soft‑skill development, wellbeing support, internship preparation, and professional readiness programs. Through her close engagement with students, educators, and partners, Sofie brings an education‑driven perspective on how to support emerging animation talent in positioning themselves confidently and transitioning smoothly into the industry.
Zoltan Batho G, Producer & Educator, Cradle - Breda University of Applied Sciences
Zoltan is an award-winning, PRINCE2-certified producer with over 15 years of international experience across CG animation, Virtual Production, XR, and VFX. He has worked across Europe, Australia, and the US with leading creative studios such as Digic Pictures, Rotor Studios, and S1T2, managing technically complex productions and digital storytelling projects.
Currently, Zoltan is a producer and educator at Cradle, the research and development lab of Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) in the Netherlands. At Cradle, he leads digital innovation projects focused on real-time technology, AI, virtual humans, and immersive media. He is also actively involved in multiple EU-funded initiatives (including AVENUE Cove, Virtual Production Studio Network, and Paneurama) that aim to align education with industry needs in Virtual Production and the creative sectors.
Zoltan regularly speaks at international conferences such as FMX, Cannes, Annecy, MIA, VIEW, and VAF, sharing insights on the intersection of technology, education, and the future of digital media.
He also completed the Epic Games Unreal Fellowship in Storytelling, deepening his expertise in cinematic storytelling using Unreal Engine.
He is passionate about bridging industry and academia, empowering creative professionals with future-proof skills, and shaping the next generation of storytelling tools and practices.
John Canning, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Advanced Micro Devices
The Director of Developer Relations–Creators at AMD, is focused on enabling the creative ISV ecosystem. He has a broad history in the interactive and immersive media space: from building core foundational technologies to middleware solutions to content creation. A frequent speaker and lecturer who has worked on projects worldwide–for Microsoft, Disney, NBC, Digital Domain, AMD, and startups.
Silke Hassreiter, Researcher and Senior Lecturer, Breda University of Applied Sciences
Silke Hassreiter is a researcher at Breda University of Applied Sciences within the Professorship of Creative and Entertainment Games. Her work focuses on workplace ethnography, (cross-sector) career mobility, and skills transferability across the creative industries, with particular attention to the games industry. She examines how talent develops, transitions, and adapts across technical–creative ecosystems and beyond, with a focus on professional identity and skills transferability. Silke is committed to connecting research and practice, contributing to curriculum innovation and amplifying the lived experiences of professionals across the creative talent pipeline.
Professional social media (e.g. LinkedIn):
Christine Resch, Senior Strategic Development Manager, Adobe
Christine Resch recently joined Adobe as Strategic Development Manager for Video, where she focuses on strengthening relationships with creatives, enterprise customers and partners. She focuses on real-world workflows, supports adoption, and channels feedback directly to product management to keep a continuous loop between users and Adobe’s pro video team.
Before joining Adobe in 2025, she was a VFX Executive at Netflix for over five years, overseeing visual effects for all films and series from the DACH region, including Kleo, The Empress, and How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast).
With a degree in Film Production and Media Business from the University of Television and Film Munich and more than a decade of experience in film and television, Christine previously worked as a VFX Producer at Rise FX and Trixter in Munich and Berlin, with additional on-set experience in Atlanta, GA. She is Co-Chair of the German chapter and a member of the Global Board of Directors of the Visual Effects Society (VES) and is engaged in efforts to strengthen connections across the industry and to support female talent in VFX, virtual production, and animation.