UK's School For Gaming Is Every Kid's Dream Come True

If you've been sitting in a classroom wondering why you aren't learning more about what you enjoy in life, you obviously haven't been attending the newest school on the Liverpool block in the U.K., called The Studio. It's a brand new way for kids to learn and head directly into a career without attending a university... and it's all about video games.

Eurogamer has a very detailed overview of the new school, which caters to 14 through 19 year olds. The curriculum isn't just about making games, though, it's also about business and management and everything else in between.

It's practically a long-form manifesto on how to teach kids the creative and business aspects of managing a career within the gaming industry. The kids have mentors that teach them team dynamics; the students break down into concept artists, programmers and project managers designated within each group. They work on building projects that are indie in size but big on opening doors and inviting in creative exploration within the educational field.

As described in the Eurogamer article by Robert Purchese...

Broforce? Final Fight? Super Smash Bros? Old and new-school classics. Nice.

The design phase of the games is only part of the itinerary, however.

A large portion of the workload at The Studio still includes taking exams and learning about General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and A-Level certification.

The Studio also focuses on a lot of issues that have crossover appeal with game development, story telling and fictional character structure based on real life events. This means that discussions about sociological and historical events still play a heavy part in the education process with the kids at The Studio.

Combine this in with the mandatory math and economics required to program and maintain a functioning business and The Studio is possibly one of the most effective educational institutions setup to realistically prepare the youth of Liverpool for successful, real-world careers.

Speaking of careers... some of the students are graduating right into actual jobs within the interactive entertainment industry, bypassing the road through the university altogether. In a way, it's maximizing the efficiency of kids at a much younger age and preparing them for the workforce sooner. Instead of going through the early schooling system and then going through the university phase, those who carry a desire to pursue a career in the gaming industry can do so while the fire of desire burns hot in their heart.

Some of the users in the comment section did mention that it may not be all roses and candy-canes, though. For instance, the Eurogamer notes that all the kids were excited and enthused about The Studio and love everything about it. However, there are only finite jobs within the industry and the U.K. – while known for having some well known studios behind games like Motorstorm, Project Gotham Racing or DriveClub – it's not enough to sustain an entire education system centered around game design. So long as The Studio, and likened education institutions, stay niche then I think there will continue to be a successful conversion rate of graduates moving into the career field of game design.

For now, it's only good news for the gaming industry and kids dreaming of getting into the industry.