Is an Esports Degree Worthwhile? Pioneering Education Research Report Released – 42% Believe They’re Likely to Work in Esports

Leading esports and gaming technological solutions developer ex corp. have today released their research report exploring the intersection between careers and education in esports titled ‘Esports Degrees Playing Field: What Prospective Students Want, Esports Sector Needs, and Academia Can(‘t) Provide’.

The 16-page report explores various areas of the relationship between education in esports and the current job market within the industry itself, focusing on the supply and demand of degree offerings to job openings to primarily consider the benefits, challenges, and changes needed in the relationship between the two.

To support this research a survey of 1000 16-19 year olds interested in esports from Brazil, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States was commissioned and conducted by market research company OnePoll. The findings found that 44% of respondents were likely to consider pursuing a degree in an esports-related field, with 55% believing this would enhance their chances of employment in the industry. 42% believe they are likely to work in the esports industry in the future, with Health and wellness (29%), Entertainment and Broadcasting (25%), Education (24%), and Players’ management (23%) being the most popular occupations.

These findings are then given further context and insight from leading industry voices such as Alban Dechelotte (CEO at G2 Esports), Sam Cooke (Managing Director and Co-Founder at Esports Insider), Oleksii Kucherov (COO at Natus Vincere), and Khalilah El-Amin (Vice President of People & Culture at Team Liquid). Their words cover topics such as the pros and cons of esports degrees, what the esports industry is like, and the need for passion, experience, and specialization in the industry.

The latter half of the report considers the current expectations of the industry for prospective applicants, and how they have shifted with the financial difficulties in the recent ‘esports winter’, where applicants with expertise in their job role combined with esports knowledge and experience have been the most desirable candidates. The closing pages of the report note that ‘there is a considerable disproportion in the number of students enrolled in esports degree programs and the number of vacancies available’ and that ‘esports is still a very young industry’ where ‘its job market demand is uncertain’.

“We are delighted to today release this report exploring a vital topic for the future of our industry. The recent growth of esports degrees and esports in education more widely means there is no better time to explore what the future looks like for both education in esports and esports in education. It is vital that both employers and those entering higher education understand the value of esports degrees and the options available, as there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for both sides of the coin.” said Timofey Sobolevskiy, Chief Communications Officer at ex corp.

“If I were asked by the students what is the best way to enter esports, I probably would never answer ‘do an esports degree’. I will most likely say, ‘do the best degree you can in your biggest skill so you can become a world-class professional in your area’. This report takes an important look into the future of esports careers and what employers like us at G2 Esports are looking for when it comes to hiring new talent,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO at G2 Esports.