MAAC launches new career tracks at Delhi creative summit

MAAC held the Delhi AVGC-XR & AI Summit 2026 in the capital, bringing together more than 600 students and creative technology enthusiasts from Delhi NCR.

The training institute used the summit to introduce new learning tracks, Career X and Creator X, while speakers discussed hiring, animation, visual effects, gaming, design and the use of artificial intelligence in creative work.

Held at the Constitution Club of India in Connaught Place, the event focused on talent needs across animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, extended reality and digital content creation. Dr Kiran Bedi attended as chief guest alongside executives from Aptech and other industry guests.

The summit aimed to connect academic training with workplace expectations. Sessions included keynote addresses, panel discussions, launches and a student recognition programme.

New tracks

A key announcement was the introduction of Career X and Creator X for prospective students. The two tracks are designed for different routes into the sector, with one focused on employability and the other on entrepreneurship and content ventures.

Sandip Weling outlined the plan during the event.

"The AVGC sector is witnessing strong growth, driven by the rising demand for high-quality digital content across films, gaming, advertising, and immersive platforms. At MAAC, our focus goes beyond technical training - we aim to nurture creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and industry adaptability among students. To further this vision, we are delighted to introduce Creator X and Career X - innovative, industry-led dual pathways designed to help students monetise their skills through employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. While Career X focuses on enhancing industry readiness and career opportunities, Creator X empowers aspiring creators to become entrepreneurs by building multi-platform content ventures. These initiatives will enable learners to gain exposure to evolving technologies, global production standards, real-world workflows, and meaningful networking opportunities, helping them transition seamlessly into professional and business environments within the dynamic AVGC ecosystem," said Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer, Aptech, and Brand Custodian, MAAC.

The event also highlighted the institute's effort to build a local talent pipeline in Delhi NCR, a region with a large base of students seeking careers in animation, VFX, gaming and digital content.

That local emphasis was underlined by Madhav Sharma, who oversees MAAC centres in Kamla Nagar, Malviya Nagar and Kalkaji.

"Delhi NCR has always been a major talent hub for the creative industry, with thousands of ambitious students looking for career pathways in animation, VFX, digital content creation, and gaming. By bringing the Delhi AI & AVGC-XR Summit 2026, we are delivering world-class studio training, direct industry insights, the necessary tools, advanced labs, and professional mentorship to our local student community," said Madhav Sharma.

Industry panel

The summit featured a panel on creative careers across AVGC-XR and the creator economy. Participants included Prakhar Jain, Assistant Vice President, Design at Paytm; Kunal Arora, Manager, Human Resources at Physicswallah; Prashant Nair, CG Supervisor at Framestore; and Gaurav Markan, Senior Manager, Marketing at Canon.

Organisers said discussions covered recruitment, portfolio standards, production workflows and the changing mix of skills needed as AI tools become more common in content production. The programme also included a behind-the-scenes preview tied to the film Deadpool & Wolverine, led by Nair.

Canon India contributed a session titled From Creator to Collaborator: How Big Brands Hire Creative Talent, aimed at explaining how companies identify and recruit creative professionals. It added a hiring perspective to a summit otherwise centred on training and early-career preparation.

Student focus

The final section of the event was a student felicitation and recognition ceremony. Organisers used the segment to showcase student case studies and portfolios as examples of outcomes from industry-aligned training.

The emphasis on portfolios reflects a wider hiring pattern across animation, VFX, design and gaming, where demonstrable project work often carries more weight than formal qualifications alone. By ending with student work rather than another executive address, the programme kept attention on how training translates into studio-ready output.

The summit formed part of MAAC's broader effort to engage aspiring creators, drawing on more than 25 years in training for animation, visual effects, digital content creation, gaming and design. The institute's message to attendees was that professional success in the sector depends on combining creative skill with adaptability, knowledge of production tools and a strong portfolio.

More than 600 attendees left with guidance on portfolio curation, studio expectations and routes into the creative industries.