This is a new course we are offering in September 2024 and is designed for 16-19yr olds. This qualification will allow you to study Esports in a professional vocational sports setting based at Leyton Orient Football Club. The Video Game Industry has grown massively over the last two decades and is worth significantly more than the Music and Film Industries combined. Competitive gaming has now evolved to develop a credible Esports scene with top prize pools reaching $30 million (Dota 2 TI and Fortnite World Cup). The Esports scene has not only opened the opportunity for competitive gamers but also statisticians, journalists, presenters, sound and media crew, coaches, event planners and marketeers. This is an industry that looks set to continue growing and the international Esports scene is expected to grow alongside it.

This Level 3 Diploma is designed to equip you with the necessary skills for a career within the Esports Industry. Students will gain an understanding of this industry in general and an insight into the various career options available.

Leyton Orient Trust has formed a partnership with the local ‘College of Esports’ based in the Velodrome in Queen Elizabeth Park, Stratford and the English Football League Trust. With several other Premier and National league football clubs running BTEC Esports provision, there will be exciting opportunities to link with other gamers, all around the country. The course is scheduled for 3-4 days per week and will be a mixture of theory and practical lessons. Esports students will receive 6 hours of gaming as part of their enrichment programme.

There will be opportunity to take part in the British Esports Students Champs:

  • Run for schools and colleges, the only PC based competition of its kind in the UK.

  • Over the course of this year we have had 370 teams from over 140 different schools and colleges playing in weekly online fixtures using 4 age appropriate esports games.

  • The 2021 Grand Finals were held at the Confetti Institute in Nottingham. Viewership of the live stream via Twitch peaked at 182K concurrent viewers.

  • We are the official esports partner of the Association of Colleges in the same way the FA are for football or the RFU are for rugby. We have hosted separate FIFA & NBA2k tournaments for AoC Sport during lockdown.

Entry Requirements

The entry requirements for this course are:

  • 4 GCSEs at Grade 4 (C) or above including English and Maths Grade 3 (D) or above

  • Pass/Merit in a relevant Level 2 qualification

  • Initial assessment minimum level 1 English

What will I study?

Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate/Diploma in Esports

Year 1-Learners taking this qualification will study four mandatory units in the first year:

• Unit 1: Introduction to Esports

• Unit 2: Esports Skills, Strategies and Analysis

• Unit 3: Enterprise and Entrepreneurship in the Esports Industry

• Unit 4: Health, Wellbeing and Fitness for Esports Players

The mandatory content allows learners to develop their technical skills across the different unit areas, supported by underpinning knowledge, and provides the opportunity for learners to relate these to the esports industry.

Year 2-Learners continuing this qualification will study one more mandatory unit:

Unit 5: Esports Events

They will then either choose four optional units up to a total of 240 GLH for Diploma, or ten more units up to a total of 600 GLH for Extended Diploma (some units may be studied in Year 1 and certificated in Year 2 to make workload more manageable).

The optional units can focus on an esports area in which the learner wants to specialise (e.g. covering coaching, nutrition/psychology performance, media, game design, business, enterprise, marketing etc.) extending their breadth of knowledge and skills across a range of areas.

How will I be assessed?

  • Practical skills

  • Internal assessments

  • Internal Synopitc assessment

Progression opportunities

The completion of this course will allow you to progress onto Esports BA(Hons) Degrees e.g. International Esports Business, Esports Coaching & Management, International Esports Business and Digital Media, International Esports Business and Digital Marketing, International Esports Business and Events Management, Games Design, Games Art or Games Development.

This course could lead to employment within the Esports industry.

How to apply

Please visit the courses page on the Waltham Forest College Website where you can now apply online

Once you have applied you will be invited to an interview to be held at the Leyton Orient Trust site, where lessons will take place.

Please use the form on our Events page to book on our next taster session, date to be confirmed at:

College of Esports Campus,

Lee Valley VeloPark, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Abercrombie Road, London, E20 3AB