College of Central Florida, Common debut Inventive Lab for theme park designers
Subsequent semester, choose grasp’s college students on the College of Central Florida will name Universal Orlando their classroom.
Via a partnership with Common Inventive, UCF’s Themed Experience program is offering a Creative Lab course the place college students will study leisure design and growth within the classroom and at Common’s inventive headquarters in Orlando whereas creating their very own tasks.
This system will assist college students make skilled connections as they acquire “hands-on, real-world expertise” within the mission growth course of, Common Inventive President Mike Hightower stated in an announcement. Different program leaders stated it additionally helps the theme park firm mentor rising designers, together with these from underrepresented backgrounds.
“This type of studying is nice for UCF college students, nice for our theme parks and leisure, and nice for Common Inventive as we assist develop and encourage the subsequent era of creators,” Hightower stated.
The primary “UCF/Common Inventive Lab” course subsequent spring will solely be provided to graduate college students within the Themed Expertise program, which trains college students to create points of interest, reveals and different experiences for venues akin to theme parks and museums.
Subsequent summer season, the lab will open a six-week class to graduate and upper-class undergraduate college students from throughout UCF or any accredited faculty or college, in keeping with the college.
“Not each program has the benefit that we now have of being positioned proper right here within the coronary heart of the trade,” stated Peter Weishar, founding director of the Themed Expertise program. “So you can be a powerful designer who’s trying to work at Common ultimately, however positioned out of state — you can come right here for the summer season and take this class.”
College students should signal non-disclosure agreements with Common. Though they won’t be engaged on upcoming tasks with Common firsthand, college students will nonetheless be studying about issues in growth and exhibiting Common’s groups their very own tasks, Weishar stated.
“On one hand, we don’t need them speaking about commerce secrets and techniques exterior of sophistication, and however they must agree that they know they’re exhibiting their work to Common,” he stated.
Common Inventive plans, designs and builds leisure throughout Common’s theme parks, from curler coasters to lodges and eating places. Lots of its workers are engaged on the Orlando resort’s third theme park, Epic Universe, slated to open in 2025.
The category is anticipated to be standard, however it’s going to solely be capable of admit about 20 college students every semester, Weishar stated. This system has 62 college students enrolled in its Grasp of Wonderful Arts and Grasp of Science tracks this fall after graduating its first class in May.
College students will break up their time between UCF’s school rooms and Common.
“They’re going to go on subject journeys to Common, whether or not or not it’s within the parks and resorts, strolling the rides after hours, [and] spending time with the journey designers, operators and engineers speaking about the way it’s all put collectively,” he stated. “And a few courses, we’ll be going to the Common Inventive studio workplaces and speaking to designers. They’re going to study mental property and authorized points and all the opposite issues that go into making a themed surroundings.”
Weishar stated the course has been in growth for a few yr. He pitched the concept and Mike West, a Common Inventive and Walt Disney Imagineering veteran who serves on this system’s advisory council, arrange a gathering between Common and the Themed Expertise crew.
“They beloved the concept from the beginning, they usually set about making an attempt to make it occur,” Weishar stated. Nevertheless it needed to undergo a number of groups at UCF and Common to get approval first.
The lab is a “multi-year dedication” from UCF and Common that Weishar hopes will assist college students domesticate their inventive kinds.
It additionally goals to extend variety and illustration within the theme park design trade. Experts say the field skews white and male, and it may be exhausting for aspiring designers from non-traditional backgrounds to entry.
“The course opens up alternatives for brand spanking new and numerous views for aspiring creators from everywhere in the globe — which can solely profit our thriving trade,” Chris Oliver, vp of engineering and security at Common Inventive, stated in an announcement.
Weishar stated some scholarship cash is obtainable for college kids who want monetary assist to take the course.
“I don’t know if we’ll change the world, however we’re undoubtedly doing as a lot as we are able to for this class,” he stated.
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