Esports student Sam takes his academic game to the next level with Russell Group uni place

Sam Thomas will start an International Business degree at the University of Leeds next month having just secured two Distinction* grades and a Distinction on our Level 3 Esports – Business & Digital Innovation extended diploma course.

His academic excellence also saw Sam receive the Brilliance Award for Sport and Uniformed Services in one of the most competitive categories at our annual REACH Awards ceremony.

Sam admits that even his own parents were sceptical initially about his desired first steps into post-16 graduation, but any reservations were quickly allayed after a visit to one of our Open Events, where they learned more about the make-up of the course (very little time is actually spent playing games!) and the wealth of career opportunities that surround one of the 21st-century's fastest growing industries.

With their son now heading off to further his educational journey at a member of the UK’s prestigious Russell Group of leading universities, they are certainly pleased that the course has moved his academic game to the next level.  

Recalling how both he and, gradually, his family were sold on the idea of studying Esports at York College, Sherburn-in-Elmet based Sam said: “After leaving high school, I was a bit lost in terms of what I wanted to do but, when I came here for an Open Event, my parents knew that, as soon as I saw the Esports Suite, I was going to go in there straight away, explore and be dead set on doing the course. They needed convincing, so were asking more questions about the course than I was, but they got all the answers they wanted.

“When we went in, there was a full list of the opportunities that the course can give you and where you can go with it in terms of careers and courses at universities and, once I’d started the course, my parents also saw how much enjoyment and value I was getting from it. I feel, at 16 to 18, you need to be studying something you are confident in and enjoy, but with a level of merit to it, too. 

"Gaming has always been a big part of my life so, to be able to study all the opportunities and culture around it, is what truly made me go for the course.” 

Sam is not the only member of his College cohort to be moving on to degree-level study this year and several of his former classmates are also staying on at Sim Balk Lane as the first students to enrol on our Level 4 HNC in Esports (Athlete Support and Development Pathway) course.

In answer to any remaining critics, who might doubt that Esports is a legitimate course with great educational and career prospects, Sam argued: “I think people are being blindsided if they don’t see the Esports course as serious or academic. The scene is constantly growing – both in its education and in large-scale tournaments across the world.

“Times are changing and more countries are embracing that and you can definitely look at more established courses and subjects that we all have to study and argue about their worth in terms of where they will lead you to in life. There are just as many opportunities that arise from studying Esports as there are from enrolling on any other course and they are consistently growing. 

“The course covers so many topics, including things like ethics, where we’d debate censorship and age ratings for games. I also think people have a wrong perspective on gaming. 

“There is research that has proven it can be good for your mental health, as it allows you to disconnect and relax.”

Whilst admitting that the gaming element of the course might have been part of the course’s initial appeal, Sam now recognises that his time on Campus over the past two years has seen him acquire a knowledge of the business world that influenced the choice of his next academic steps.

“I really enjoyed the course’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship module,” he pointed out. “That’s what helped to inspire my decision to apply for the International Business course.

“Having (tutor) Joe (Hopper) around, with his business background, helped to also foster that desire to be in that scene and work environment. He knows and understands the industry, because he’s been in the field and lived it.”

Sam added that the course has equipped him with key skills that he will be able to call upon when he goes on to follow a career in the business world, having also served as the cohort’s Student Leader. 

“I enjoyed the Esports Event module, because we had to work together as a team to overcome quite a few challenges that we encountered and, being able to adapt to that, was amazing,” he enthused. “I’d say the main skills I developed on the course were leadership, teamwork and adaptability. 

“Going into the second year of the course, there was a big focus on leadership for me. Every Wednesday, we had the tournament fixtures and, rather than have Joe run it all, he would incorporate everyone in different roles to manage it all and I became Student Leader for the course.

“I’d manage the room and assist all the different teams during tournaments in terms of setting up and resolving any miscommunication issues – everything from minor to major details. It was all about being able to lead, manage and work as part of a team and being adaptable to situations that arose. 

“We also hosted Esports events related to the course that we would run as an entire class, which really helped bring us together as a group. They are all skills I will need for a business career – 100 per cent.” 

Travelling in from Sherburn, Sam felt the one-hour commute was “easier than anticipated”.

He believes that the department’s approach to teaching, meanwhile, has readied him for his move into Higher Education.

“Joe was always pushing us and didn’t just drip feed us,” Sam explained. “He encouraged us to go and do our own independent research, while being there if we did encounter problems and that has helped me prepare for university-level study.”

Having first been recommended to attend a York College Open Event by Luke Peckett – a school friend since Year 8 – Sam was delighted that the pair both celebrated the end of their Sim Balk Lane studies by being presented with REACH Awards on the same night.

Engineering & Manufacturing: Design & Development T Level student Luke was a joint-winner of our Governors’ Award alongside placement classmate Jackson Clark, with Sam admitting: “It was an incredible night. 

“Just to be there – and for Luke to be there as well – was quite surreal. It was great to have friends around who got to see what I’d accomplished and to appreciate that I wasn’t just on a course about gaming, but something that is respected and you can gain credit for. 

“Having Joe speak about me on the video screen also felt amazing to hear. Afterwards, my brother turned to me and said that he thought I had the hardest group of them all. 

“There were so many names nominated, so it was really nice to feel like I’d been recognised for working really hard and that the course has developed so much that it can be recognised in that capacity.”

With his love for travelling and seeking new experiences, Sam is now hoping to enrol on a programme at university that will see him spend a year studying and on work placement overseas, preferably in Australia. 

“I’m looking forward to the change in pace at university because there will be a lot more onus on me,” he reflected. “Getting used to a different environment and meeting a variety of new people from different backgrounds are also key things for me.

“I’ve never really had a set idea about what I want to do in life. I just know I like to be able to explore, and I am hoping the course will enable me to visit new areas, look around different countries and become part of new communities, because business obviously happens all over the world.”

And, finally, for the big question, has his time at College made him a better gamer!?

“The games I play at home are generally different to the ones that we play as a Development Centre team,” he declared. “I play a lot of milsims (military simulations) that emulate really closely what it’s like to be in a war zone.

“A lot of it is about building your communication skills and teamwork. One of the games I typically play is called Squad and is heavily focused on that and co-ordination, so the course has definitely helped me develop in those areas.”

To learn more about our Esports Business & Digital Innovation Diploma course, please click here

For details of our new HNC in Esports (Athlete Support and Development Pathway), visit here

If you would like to meet our expert team of tutors, discuss any of our courses with them and view our facilities, then please consider our next Open Event on Tuesday 7th October (5.30pm-8pm). Register a place here