WIGI: Women in Games International

This is probably the largest and most established organization out there for gender equality in gaming.

Their mission statement is that they are dedicated to supporting women in the game industry as well as those interested in finding a career in the game industry.

WIGI has an active Facebook page as well as a Website with an incredible amount of resources. Their Twitter has more than 12,000 followers and is regularly active.

WIGI really can break down into five categories: The Program, Membership, Resume Submissions, Job Boards, and WIGI Weekly

The Program

WIGI offers a 6-month online or in-person program where aspiring techs, designers, programmers, etc can learn from female video game professionals in order to piece together parts of a bigger project or goal in the field. The program has a goal of "creating relationships that lead to forever friendship bonds, immense knowledge and understanding, and incredible personal discovery and revelation." 

There are weekly meetings that can be accessed from calls, Skype, in-person, or through other types of communication to meet your needs.

This isn't just a program to take and say "why not?" These professionals are setting aside their time to "further careers, facilitate knowledge sharing, and grow professional networks." In a way, it is kind of like a fraternity/ sorority for aspiring video game professionals, but without the partying, drinking, and college. The focus is on connections, skills, and professional friendships. A large part of getting jobs and resources is knowing the right people. And with this program, you can do that.

Membership

WIGI offers membership to their website and resources that are listed below. There is a free version and a paid version. (I am still receiving information from the company on what defines the two).

Resume Submissions

WIGI membership grants access to resume submissions. All you have to do is attach your resume online from your computer or tablet and voila! Companies that are in need of practically anything to do with gaming will have access to your resume without you having to search job boards. You could be working at your current job and receive a call one day with an interview for a new job in something you're actually interested in. It's definitely worth the time.

Job boards

So maybe you have sent in your resume for general submission, but you're super antsy to just get going with a new job in the field that you want. You can submit your resume and apply to a list of jobs online that are specifically catered to your interests.

WIGI Weekly

WIGI Weekly is a weekly newsletter that includes articles on recent gaming news from legitimate, trusted sources such as CBS News, Washington Post, Polygon, and gamesindustry.biz. Some topics in a recent newsletter include:

• gender equality moves in the tech industry
• reports on games with/without diversity and/ or appropriate themes
• recent news on women fighting for their spot in their career

The weekly newsletter also features job listings. What is also great about the newsletter is that it is all online, so it contains access to a search bar that can access previous archives to find more articles and job listings. It is, essentially, a gamer's central hub of information specific to gaming and gender equality within that field.

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