New ‘Esports’ Courses Launch at Bradford College

In response to growing demand for skills in Esports – short for Electronic Sports – new specialist qualifications have been launched at Bradford College. Esports is the rapidly growing multi-billion-pound global industry of competitive video gaming.

After a £70,000 investment in new facilities, the College is now enrolling students for BTEC Level 2 & 3 qualifications in Esports. Courses give students transferable skills across different areas of Esports, such as sport, marketing, enterprise, IT, and the creative industries.

Taught at the David Hockney Building, the Esports programmes will use brand-new facilities which include hi-spec gaming PCs, specialist chairs, screens and speakers, housed on a new gaming arena facility in the heart of the College’s Digital Academy. Designed to meet the needs of the gaming and computing industry, and using feedback from technology partners, the courses include a range of work experience opportunities.

Sarah Towan, Director of Student Recruitment & External Relations at Bradford College, said:“The wide range of skills gained on these courses can be applied to lots of jobs and sectors, including digital and STEM-based careers. This is especially valuable given roles in the industry are likely to continually change and evolve as technology advances. So, the emphasis with these programmes is delivering flexibility, adaptability, and transferable skills for now and the future.”

Students on the one-year Esports BTEC Level 2 Certificate learn through technical and practical workshops while gaining communication, numeracy, and literacy skills. Core units cover Esports games and tournaments, commercial and not-for-profit Esports organisations, streaming, and planning an Esports event.

They can then progress to the two-year BTEC Level 3 qualification (equivalent to A Levels), which covers fundamental Esports skills, strategies and analysis, entrepreneurship, wellbeing and fitness for players, events Shoutcasting, and video production. Regular live broadcasts and Esports tournaments also form part of the training. On successful completion of the courses, students can progress to higher-level study, apprenticeships, or employment in the computing and games industry.

Find out more at www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/courses/esports and enrol now for a September start.