A big new opportunity to break into the dynamic interactive media industry - or for those in employment to enhance their specialist skills - has been announced by the Let's ProfIT project.

A15-week, media-based course developed by Cornwall College, Camborne, is being offered by Let's ProfIT, which is part of Cornwall Enterprise and funded through European Social Fund/Objective 1 and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

To be held at the college from February to August, 2007, the course will cover digital graphics, web authoring and interactive multimedia concepts, with the £300 cost totally refundable plus a £500 incentive payment to successful candidates.

Successful completion will earn the OCR (Oxford and Cambridge Schools and the Royal Society of Arts) Level 3 Certificate/Diploma for iMedia Users.

"This is a valuable qualification which has been expressly designed as a route into the exciting and rewarding interactive media industry or for further development of skills in a wide range of job roles within the industry," said Matt Barrett, Let's ProfIT project manager.

"It will be extremely useful for those working as - or preparing to work as - web designers, graphic artists, multimedia producers, animators, sound designers and editors, video producers, games designers or story boarders."

The qualification has been developed in consultation with partners in industry, further education and schools. Its purpose is to develop candidates' skills in the use of applications to plan a solution against a specification and provide a product or service to meet their customers' needs.

The digital graphics module will allow students to manipulate and create imagery from skills developed using Photoshop.

Composition and layout will also be covered, as well as typography and designing content for a particular target audience. The use of digital cameras and scanners will be explored and the importance of optimising images for use on the web will be covered in depth.

In the web authoring module, students will be shown how to construct a website with Dreamweaver, using Photoshop to manipulate content, and create attractive and intuitive interfaces.

The importance of navigation maps will be examined, as will techniques for enhancing interactivity and inserting sound and video. Tools to optimise content will be explored, together with the need to follow a strict design process to meet deadlines and client briefs.

In the module covering interactive multimedia concepts, students will be taken through the design process in the development of an interactive product.

Topics explored here will include how to incorporate various media will be explored and the correct file formats to be used. The creation of user interfaces will be developed, with particular emphasis paid to interactivity and intuitiveness.

Technical limitations for outcomes, generated for use on the web, or other media will be highlighted. The use of a variety of peripherals in collecting content will be examined, as will issues of Intellectual property. Industry standard software and techniques will be used throughout.

Each of the three units will be delivered over a period of 30 hours - with five six-hour days for each unit. The cost will be £300 payable on enrolment, with £100 refunded on completion of each module, with the incentive payment of £500 made for certification.

Those interested should contact the Let's ProfIT case managers on 01209 722871 or visit the website below.