Christian Kollbær has completed a bachelor's degree in Bachelor in Interactive Media - Games and is now working as a VR developer at Fornix: - My time at Noroff was an incredible experience.
Christian Kollbær (24) has a bachelor's degree in Bachelor in Interactive Media - Games from campus in Kristiansand. The former Noroff student developed a passion for games at a young age. Throughout high school, he tried to shape his educational path around his passion as much as possible.
– When the time came to choose a university, several factors were crucial. I sought a place with experienced teachers, a well-structured study program that could maximize my learning, and an institution that truly appreciated and highlighted student work, he says.
For Christian, it was also essential that the study program was conducted in English, as it is the dominant language in the gaming industry. He explains that Noroff fulfilled all the criteria he had.
– My time at Noroff was an incredible experience. The school fostered an atmosphere where the teachers deeply engaged with the students, providing constant support both academically and mentally. Their dedication helped me navigate towards my goals. Noroff also gave me the opportunity to meet fellow students with similar interests, which further enhanced the learning experience, he shares.
Received job offers via LinkedIn
After completing his studies, Christian and some fellow students chose to explore the possibility of launching their own game while freelancing. The game project never progressed beyond the tech demo stage, but the experience and portfolio development were still invaluable. A year into his freelancing career, Christian started receiving several job offers through LinkedIn and decided to take a job at Fornix.
– Fornix is a company that develops VR experiences for mental health by offering solutions that make exposure training and exposure therapy accessible and efficient. We have psychologists on our team, and our applications are developed in close collaboration with specialized health services and academia, ensuring high product quality, he says.
The 24-year-old describes his tasks at Fornix as varied and exciting. He does everything from developing projects from scratch to creating important systems and architectures for current and future projects.
An incredible student environment
Christian feels that Noroff has prepared him well for a career in the gaming industry.
– Noroff equipped me with the determination and enthusiasm to take on challenging tasks, knowing that I would learn and grow from the experience. Another valuable insight I gained was a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of game development, thanks to the teaching from field experts, he says.
He continues:
– This knowledge allowed me to master multiple disciplines and has helped me identify areas where I wanted to delve even deeper. Today, I use this understanding to deliver quality work.
The former Noroff student mentions that what he misses the most from his time at the university is the close interaction with the teachers and the incredible student environment. He always tries to visit the campus when he's in Kristiansand. Christian has a clear piece of advice for others who want to pursue a similar path as him.
– My biggest advice to those who want to follow the same path is to follow your passion, challenge yourself, and remember that every experience, success, or mistake is an opportunity for learning and growth. It's a challenging field to break into, but it's definitely worth it.
