Education Academy

Team Norse Thunder’s Esports Education Academy helps to bridge the gap between traditional education and the world of esports. First launched in February 2022, the academy program now forms a major part of what the organisation does and is supported by partners across the industry. 

The academy’s program supports young people over a ten-week period as they re-sit or gain maths, English and digital skills qualifications while also taking on esports industry work experience. Intensive career planning and guidance is also on offer before students are supported into the next step of their career - whether that’s going into a full-time esports course with a local college or university, or exploring job opportunities in the industry. 

The first cohort of 13 students started their journey on the Esports Education Academy in early 2022 at the team’s Birmingham HQ and are due to finish in the summer. Future editions of the academy will see students studying to achieve the BTEC Level 2 in Esports - a qualification that the British Esports Association helped pioneer.  

The Academy’s Social Impact  

Team Norse Thunder’s work sees it developing projects and programs that look to help people overcome social isolation and loneliness that also tackle their root causes too.

It’s well demonstrated educational outcomes and job opportunities are closely linked to contributing to the causes of social isolation in young people, as well as being a symptom of it too. Access to and performance in education can be hampered when someone is suffering from social isolation, and this in turn can impact job prospects. 

While the causes of social isolation can be rooted in experiences at school or out in the wider world, school life isn’t always a successful journey for everyone and sometimes a second chance with the right support is all that’s needed. Traditional approaches to teaching and learning don’t work for everyone, so staff at the academy have worked to create something different where each student’s individual needs are met and supported.