Valve recently created a new program called Pipeline designed to help build a connection between the company and students interested in pursuing a career in the gaming industry. If you're a teenager interested in working on the next hit video game, listen up.

There were two main reasons why Valve created Pipeline. First, they are frequently asked questions by teenagers about the video game industry such as what it's like to work on games, what they should study, which colleges will best prepare them and how to get a job in the industry. Pipeline will be a place where questions like this can be discussed in an open environment.

Pipeline will also serve as an experiment for Valve. Typically, the company has only hired very experienced developers which means those coming right out of school aren't given a shot. With Pipeline, Valve wants to see if it is possible to take a group of high school students with minimal work experience and train them in the skills and methods necessary to be successful at a company like Valve.

As of writing, there isn't a ton of information on the Pipeline website (which was created by a group of high school interns working at Valve) but that will change in the next month or so as it grows into a proper resource for teenagers around the globe.

Something like this would have been an excellent resource for me while I was still in school as I dreamed of one day becoming a video game designer. Resources at that time, however, were limited and I ultimately found my way to journalism instead.