{"id":4949,"date":"2023-08-01T16:23:26","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T16:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=4949"},"modified":"2025-03-28T14:59:05","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T18:59:05","slug":"level-up-new-esports-certificate-builds-marketable-career-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2023\/08\/01\/level-up-new-esports-certificate-builds-marketable-career-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"Level Up! New Esports Certificate Builds Marketable Career Skills"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column4949_429370-27{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column4949_429370-27 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column4949_429370-27 dynamic-main-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image4949_d6a36b-24 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image4949_d6a36b-24 alignwide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Stephen-Sye_CEO_FFG-768x512-1.jpg\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-14458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Stephen-Sye_CEO_FFG-768x512-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Stephen-Sye_CEO_FFG-768x512-1-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Stephen-Sye_CEO_FFG-768x512-1-720x480.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThree billion people worldwide are identifying as gamers,\u201d says <strong>Stephen Sye<\/strong>, CEO of Futures First Gaming. And if you\u2019re one of them or interested in becoming one, Wilmington University\u2019s offering a new Esports Certificate to learn the business of gaming.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI like to say, \u2018Gaming\u2019s the carrot, but the learning is the nugget,\u2019\u201d he explains. \u201cThis is an opportunity for not just students but parents to really understand that their children can pursue their passions and still be successful.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I like to say, \u2018Gaming\u2019s the carrot, but the learning is the nugget,\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>\u2013<em>Stephen Sye, CEO of Futures First Gaming<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The 18-credit, 100% online Esports Certificate debuts this fall. And it\u2019s the only one of its kind in Delaware \u2014 combining coursework in business, technology, entrepreneurship and digital media. With the skills learned through this certificate program, students will be prepared to pursue a career in esports event management, administration or marketing, where salaries start at $40,000 to $60,000.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is a growing industry,\u201d says <strong>Matthew Wilson, Ed.D.<\/strong>, the program chair and a director of the College of Education and Liberal Arts. \u201cIt\u2019s an evolving industry. It touches on so many different skills.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wilson calls it \u201ca foundational certificate,\u201d which \u201cdevelops a variety of skills that will transfer into other types of career paths\u201d like computer science, web design and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not just the fact that you\u2019re getting into the field of esports,\u201d agrees <strong>Christian Broderick<\/strong>, WilmU\u2019s head esports coach. \u201cWhatever you learn is meant to be applied in many different ways.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Broderick will teach Intro to Esports Events and Production, one of two new courses. The other, Esports and Data, covers the statistics and analytical side of gaming. The curriculum includes everything from information technology to business strategy to market analysis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think the certificate will give students the tools necessary to really be leaders in the space,\u201d notes Broderick, who \u201cgrew up gaming\u201d but studied philosophy and English. If offered an esports course in college, \u201cI would have really enjoyed it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says there\u2019s an increasing need for esports professionals like coaches, content creators and commentators.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I think the certificate will give students the tools necessary to really be leaders in the space,\u201d<\/p>\n<cite><em>&#8211; Christian Broderick<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou can apply it to a data analyst, network engineer, social media manager or program coordinator job,\u201d Broderick adds. \u201cThe role of a data analyst is something that is always in demand because you just have to be on the cutting edge of how esports is changing.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This innovative certificate can stand alone or lead toward a degree. Through Dual-Credit ADVANTAGE\u2122, it can be applied to an Associate of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, and there are an additional 15 bachelor\u2019s degree programs across four WilmU colleges to which the certificate can be applied as credit already earned. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFrom a certificate standpoint, this is the first, so I\u2019m extremely excited about that,\u201d says Sye, who partners with Wilmington University for Futures First Gaming\u2019s Workforce Development Program, which awards six academic credits toward this certificate. \u201cIf you\u2019re interested in marketing, content creation, coding, video editing, graphic design \u2014 there are multiple companies across the industry that are going to need those skills.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While students are building career skills, they are also encouraged to check out WilmU\u2019s esports teams and Esports Lab.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe would love to have as many people join us as possible,\u201d notes Broderick. \u201cIt gives students that opportunity to really throw themselves into an extracurricular and become more involved in the community.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interested? Learn more and apply at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/education\/esports-certificate.aspx\">wilmu.edu\/education\/esports-certificate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThree billion people worldwide are identifying as gamers,\u201d says Stephen Sye, CEO of Futures First Gaming. And if you\u2019re one of them or interested in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[452,78,445,453,266],"class_list":["post-4949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-certificates","tag-college-of-education-liberal-arts","tag-esports","tag-futures-first-gaming","tag-online-learning"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":2,"label":"ACADEMIC NEWS"}],"post_tag":[{"value":452,"label":"Certificates"},{"value":78,"label":"College of Education &amp; Liberal Arts"},{"value":445,"label":"Esports"},{"value":453,"label":"Futures First Gaming"},{"value":266,"label":"online learning"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Blog_Esports_Feature-480x480.jpg",480,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Mckayla Imperatrice","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/author\/mckayla\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":2,"name":"ACADEMIC NEWS","slug":"academic-news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":559,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":460,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":2,"category_count":460,"category_description":"","cat_name":"ACADEMIC NEWS","category_nicename":"academic-news","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":452,"name":"Certificates","slug":"certificates","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1009,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":78,"name":"College of Education &amp; Liberal Arts","slug":"college-of-education-liberal-arts","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":635,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":90,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":445,"name":"Esports","slug":"esports","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1002,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":453,"name":"Futures First Gaming","slug":"futures-first-gaming","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1010,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":266,"name":"online learning","slug":"online-learning","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":823,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":9,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4949"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4949\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17742,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4949\/revisions\/17742"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}