Animation, VFX & Games Graduate Traineeship 2025: Participants and Host Studios Announced
Posted: 23rd July 2025
Fourteen trainees to receive on-the-job training and mentoring from leading Irish animation, games and VFX studios.
Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, in collaboration with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, The National Talent Academies for Animation and VFX, and Skillnet Ireland’s Skills Connect Scheme, are delighted to announce the Animation, VFX & Games Graduate Traineeship participants and host studios for 2025.
The traineeship, which has been running since 2016, boasts a strong track record, with over 90% of participants going on to secure further employment in the industry, either with their host studio or another studio. Additionally, according to the First Steps in the Animation Industry report, over 90% of respondents also stated that the programme adequately prepared them for the professional workplace and that they would recommend it to prospective new entrants.
Targeted at developing skills and talent in the Irish animation, VFX, and games sectors, this iteration of the programme will take place over 10 weeks. It will involve a mix of on-the-job learning and mentoring with studios as well as additional specialist training delivered through Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet and The National Talent Academies for Animation and VFX.
This year’s Traineeship was highly competitive with nearly 300 applications. This overwhelming response highlights both the growing demand for structured entry roles into the sector and the ongoing importance of initiatives that support graduates in gaining meaningful industry experience.
The eight participating studios and fourteen trainees for the Graduate Traineeship Programme of 2025 are:
- Boulder Media: Isabelle MacNeaney and Ella Taplin
- Cartoon Saloon: Joshua Griffith
- Distillery Films: Finn McKeon and Éilis O’Neill
- JAM Media: Rian O‘Loughlin
- Lighthouse Studios: Dara Darcy, Daniel Pong and Piotr Chodup
- Monster Theory: Jake Smith Devery
- StoryToys Ltd: Clarissa Moraes and Tadgh Horgan
- Tall Team: Brendan Hewson and Cristian Aravena