Andover College recently hosted an Esports competition bringing together students from colleges across the region to test their skills in competitive gaming.
Teams from Wiltshire College, New College Swindon and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College travelled to Andover on Thursday 26 March to take part in the event.
The competition, endorsed by WorldSkills UK, saw Esports students compete in Overwatch 2 and Valorant. Matches were streamed live on Twitch, showcasing both the competitors’ abilities and the college’s facilities, including its Esports Arena and Media Broadcast suite, which enabled live shout casting during the event.
After a series of matches, Wiltshire College took first place, with Andover College finishing in second place.
WorldSkills UK programmes are a recognised part of the post-16 education and training calendar. Andover College has been working with the organisation through its Local Skills Competitions Endorsement Framework to help students and apprentices develop both technical and employability skills.
George Hoare, Curriculum Lead at Andover College, said:
“The esports event pitted our students against other colleges. Not only did they need to demonstrate skills and strategies within Overwatch 2 and Valorant – they also had to review their gameplay, critically analysing their choice of tactics throughout the matches.
“I am pleased to announce that the Andover College Esports team finished the event in second place. A special mention goes to the students that helped run and broadcast the event.”
Parisa Shirazi, Director of Standards at WorldSkills UK, added:
“Congratulations to all those who took part in the Esports competition. Competition-based learning is recognised by educators as one of the most powerful tools for driving quality improvement, as well as developing and assessing technical skills.
“This Framework is designed to raise standards, inspire ambition, and provide teaching staff and learners with access to world-class skills development to meet the rapidly changing demands of both existing and emerging industries.”