Isle of Man College to offer egaming degree
Postgraduate course, believed to be the first of its kind, will launch in January following consultation with members of sector.
The Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education is set to launch what is believed to be the first ever accredited qualification in egaming.
Initially set to be launched as a postgraduate course in January 2013, the programme is expected to be offered to undergraduates at a later date, and has been accredited by the University of Chester.
It has the backing of the public and private sectors, and individuals from the island’s egaming industry were consulted ahead of the launch of the course which eGR understands was predominantly instigated by industry demand.
Ray Davies, head of egaming development on the Isle of Man, told eGaming Review that the course would take a “pick-and-mix” format, with those taking part able to select modules applicable to their role within the industry.
“The obvious breakdown is between the technical side and the sales and customer service side, but students can choose the credits they need for their particular role,” he said.
“Among the modules are professional ethics, human resources management, computer programming, network management, regulation and compliance” added Davies.
The process of putting the degree programme together involved a strong contingent of representatives from 18 different operators and service providers. To take the course at a post-graduate level an applicant would need to already be in the industry and have a degree level equivalent qualification.
Davies added: “‘The sense from industry is that it is keen to upskill the local workforce in order to drive growth, and they want degree-level candidates. While we have not consulted with regulators in other territories yet, we suspect in the long-term there will be interest from further afield as UK-recognised courses are generally recognised across the world.”
Undergraduate students looking to take part in the relevant degree when available would be given placements with egaming companies, as part of the University of Chester’s WBIS work-based higher education system.
Gail Corrin, WBIS leader at the Isle of Man College, said: “The skills and knowledge required to be effective in egaming are wide ranging, and they develop as the sector develops. An egaming qualification needs to be able to adapt at the same pace and the work base focus of WBIS allows for this.”
While the GSC is yet to name those egaming companies to have driven the initiative, it is believed that a number of operators and service providers are keen to send some employees on the course.
Isle of Man political member for egaming Alex Downie OBE said: “The development of this qualification is supportive of the egaming strategy by helping to ensure that companies operating in the sector have access to a good pool of appropriately skilled labour.
“The Department is determined to build on the Island’s reputation as a centre of excellence for egaming and we aim to achieve this by being at the forefront of developing new initiatives and innovation,” added Downie.
Meanwhile the island’s head of egaming and technology Tim Craine said: “The industry has made it clear that there is a need for formal qualifications in egaming and the courses can only help drive further success in the sector.”