New Esports hub officially opened by professional players
Budding Esports players were treated to a visit from professional players as they helped launch a new hub.
Street Fighter Pro players Shivan Dass and Kim Badiabio from Wolves Esports made VIP appearances and gave students the opportunity to take on the professional competitors and benefit from their expertise as they officially opened the upgraded Esports hub at Sandwell College.
Esports students, dressed in their new Wolves Esports kit, participated in an Q&A session with Digital Marketing Masters graduate Shivan, aka Shivs and Kim, The4Philzz, on Wednesday, December 20.
Kim said: “I think that if you’re someone who wants to study Esports, now is probably the perfect time to do so.
"There are a lot of opportunities out there that weren’t there a long time ago, so 100 percent chase your dreams if that’s what you want to do.”
Shivan said: “I got into Esports at university because I was a very competitive person. Belief started growing.
"Esports is such an emerging and developing industry, it’s the dream for us younger people.
"It’s so broad because it’s so much more than being a player, and I would definitely recommend it if you have that passion for it.”
Sandwell College recently announced a partnership with Wolves Esports which will see the college and its students gain valuable hands-on experience in the rapidly growing Esports industry.
The college currently offers two BTEC courses in Esports, and has invested in gaming rooms, editing suites and enterprise pods to ensure students have access to the most inclusive and dynamic growth environment in an industry already worth over £1 billion.
Sandwell College is the first education provider in the country to partner with a professional Esports team.
The partnership with Wolves Esports will enable students to benefit from stadium tours, interaction with professional teams, guest speaker talks and work experience opportunities.
A dedicated Esports work experience placement programme was also launched during the grand opening.
Skills and employer lead for Sandwell College’s Institute of Sport, Neil Parker, said: “The launch of our upgraded Esports hub has been a perfect opportunity for us to build on the recently forged partnership between ourselves and Wolves Esports.”
“Our students have seen first-hand from Shivan and Kim how they can transform their passion into a profession, learning employability skills including digital, problem-solving, teamwork, organisation and analytics to support them in whichever pathway they choose to progress.”
Scott Thomas, head of Sport at Sandwell College, said: “Esports is a rapidly growing industry around the world and within the education sector.
"This generation of students have grown up online and their sights are set on a digital future. Many UK universities now offer Esports as a degree course.
"This is a hugely exciting time for Sandwell College to be partnering with one of the biggest Esports teams in the country.”
Esports courses at Sandwell College cover a wide range of topics and professions within the esports industry, including organising competitive esports events, enterprise and marketing, broadcasting and presentation, health, wellbeing and fitness, and responsible gaming.
To find out more about the courses, go to sandwell.ac.uk/school-leaver-courses/sports-studies/
