Coleg Cambria delivers first Esports course graduates
8 July 2026
When we (and many other platforms) talk about esports in the UK, cities and regions like London, Birmingham and the Midlands are often mentioned. These are actively being developed as major esports hubs not just for the United Kingdom, but for worldwide audiences. If we are talking about active development of esports in the UK though, Wales should definitely be part of the conversation as well. A bit over a year ago, for example, Coleg Cambria opened a brand-new esports arena and recently they could celebrate another milestone. The North Wales college recently delivered the first batch of graduates from its new Higher Education Esports degree.
More than gaming
When Coleg Cambria launched its first official degree in Esports a bit over a year ago, they emphasised that it was not all about gaming. The goal of the degree was actually to introduce students to other potential career paths through esports, such as marketing, event management and analytical positions, besides of course, competitive gaming. At the same time, the course also allows students to develop skills that can be useful in almost any career, as well as life in general, such as teamworking, quick situation analysis and communication.
“People assume Esports is only about playing games professionally, but that’s one small part of a much bigger picture”, explains Tom Crofts, Esports Lecturer at Coleg Cambria, “There are careers in event management, broadcasting, marketing, content creation, coaching, analytics and game development – and our course is hands-on and industry-focused from day one. You don’t need an Esports background to join us. We welcome students from all kinds of educational and professional backgrounds.”
First graduates
Coleg Cambria is nothing less than a trailblazer when it comes to esports education in the North Wales region. Very few similar opportunities exist there and in fact anywhere else in the United Kingdom. It therefore came as no surprise that the inaugural year of their Esports degree attracted considerable attention. And now, about a year later, the first batch of students graduating with an official Esports degree from Coleg Cambria are about the enter the workforce.
“It’s been incredible”, says Ben Oortwyn about the course, “I enjoy gaming, but I love the other aspects too, whether that’s event management, audio-visual production, coaching, or game design. The course has opened my eyes to so many different career opportunities.”
“My goal is to become an Esports professional,” adds fellow graduate Adam Parkes, “I’ve had success with the Cambria Chimeras Valorant team, and the dream is to travel the world through Esports. The Higher Education programme has developed both my skills and my understanding of the industry.”
High expectations
Considering the success of the first full year of their Esports Degree, Coleg Cambria has high expectations for the coming year. They are noticing that employers in the region are increasingly recognising the value of the skills developed throughout the course and they want to keep emphasising the degree as an effective way to open real doors to all kinds of industries, both related and non-related to esports in the UK and beyond.