Creative World eZine Volume 1 | Page 21

The stage was set from as early as 2012. eMedia and iCreate’s CEO and founder, Tyrone Wilson, was seeking investments to build out the company’s digital content platforms, and his endeavours caught Dr Bailey’s attention. “I was impressed with his entrepreneurial vision, and so I committed his name to memory. Then coincidentally, in 2014, we met in person, during a visit to the University of Technology’s Technology Innovation Centre (TIC), where eMedia was then housed. We had a conversation, in which we promised to stay connected. In 2015, our paths then crossed again, just as iCreate was in the midst of developing its curriculum,” she explained. After meeting with the eMedia team Dr Bailey realised they were all on the same wavelength, and the rest is history. Dr Bailey will use her diverse background to guide the development of a world-class curriculum that will ensure that iCreate graduates can stand with the best in the creative world. “We will introduce students to the ‘design thinking’ and ‘creative problem-solving’ approaches to the creative process, while on the technology side, students will train on leading-edge technology platforms in the areas of animation, gaming, film production and virtual reality,” she said. iCreate’s end game is to equip students with the skills to not only work in the multi-billion dollar creative industry, but to be the next generation of creative entrepreneurs. This requires a more integrated approach to the design of each course - one that actually mirrors the way the real world works. The Caribbean is brimming with vibrant cultures and talented, enterprising people, so it is vital that students be equipped to maximize their talents and skills to take advantage of opportunities that arise - or better yet, to create them. “As the creative economy evolves, we are in a unique position to leverage the region’s creative assets and our vision is that iCreate will lead in defining the the role of higher education in training and developing the next generation of future Caribbean creators.” “So, what can prospective iCreate students expect from their classes? Certainly not traditional ‘chalk and talk’ pedagogy. Learning will be largely hands-on, and students will get to work with the institution’s partners in advertising, film production, animation, gaming, and more. This way, they are ready to hit the ground running in their new creative roles, even before completing their programs. 21