Leading awarding organisation partners with international esports expert to develop specialist pathways into the sector  

One of the UK’s foremost awarding organisations has entered a partnership to establish an esports curriculum that will provide a starting point in the industry. 

NCFE has entered a three-year partnership with Esports Academics, a Canada-based company that specialises in the development and implementation of esports qualifications into educational institutions.  

The partnership aims to provide high quality qualifications to learners across the UK and beyond, creating specialist pathways into the world of esports including artificial intelligence, event management, business, and coaching. 

Mike Potts, Senior International and Devolved Nations Manager at NCFE, said: “This partnership is an exciting opportunity for NCFE to bring its expertise in technical and vocational learning to an exciting and emerging new industry.  

“Esports needs a pipeline of talent who can hit the ground running. By creating a curriculum that offers a practical way of learning about the industry and focusing on project-based learning in a controlled environment, it allows learners to gain hands-on experience of what’s required to work in esports.” 

In the UK, the esports market is expected to reach 22.8m users by 2028 and has grown consistently over the last few years. The UK is also home to some of the biggest esports and games organisations in the world, as well as leading professional players. 

George Cork, Co-Founder of Esports Academics, said:

“The partnership provides a fantastic opportunity for us to work with a leading awarding organisation such as NCFE to provide students with an engaging curriculum focused around the most explosive areas of the esports industry at the moment. 

“The courses offer that first point in the pipeline as well as providing a strong foundation in a focused area of study to help guide students in the direction for which they may want to take next. Opening the avenue of either going to university to study further or entering into the world of esports and working your way up, by providing up to date and relevant industry knowledge.” 

As part of the partnership, Esports Academics has developed a suite of customised qualifications and will work towards regulated diplomas in the near future, with all educational resources receiving an exclusive endorsement from NCFE.