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Grassroots UK esports organisation Vulpine Esports have announced the Vulpine Student Ambassadors digital work experience programme.
It’s for students aged 16 and above across the UK, and aims to offer insights into the esports ecosystem, ‘within a space that is positive and encourages proactivity and creative expression’.
Students can engage in various activities, including event management, tournament organisation, content creation, social media strategy and community management, while working remotely with Vulpine Esports.
The programme promises students they will ‘gain additional or learn new skills whilst being mentored by industry professionals and build valuable relationships within the esports community’.
The programme is a vehicle for Vulpine to gain volunteers. Vulpine told Esports News UK: “Yes, [they are] all volunteers as part of work experience. Colleges are crying out for it as they are under so much pressure to get their students onto relevant work experience but there’s little to none out there.”
Upon completion, students will receive a certificate of achievement and a chance to get a personalised reference from Vulpine Esports, plus ‘the chance to win awards each year for exeptional students’.
The new programme claims to be a UK first. It joins other similar initiatives over the years, including the Fnatic college partner programme. Most recently, Epic.LAN extended its partnership with the University of Staffordshire to offer opportunities to esports students.
Vulpine Esports co-CEO Lizzie Squires, who is also an esports lecturer at HSDC Alton College and a Women in Games ambassador, said:
“Vulpine has the knowledge, experience, and the ability to utilise the digital world to bridge the gap between education and industry, giving our students a whole new way to gain their work experience credits,” Lizzie added.
“Not only is this a specific experience that a lot of esports students struggle to find, but it also reduces the challenges that colleges and students have in allocating in-person placements.”
A student ambassador added: “Throughout this programme I’ve learned a lot and gained a lot of experience. My biggest area of growth would likely be my confidence from all the new people I’ve had to talk to and build relationships with, and co-ordination. I would totally recommend this programme to others as it has taught me so much about the industry.”
The news comes as Vulpine Esports have also announced a Marvel Rivals esports tournament in the UK.
Student applications for the next academic year will go live on the Vulpine Esports website during the summer. Vulpine are also looking for colleges, partners and sponsors – those interested can contact Lizzie at [email protected].
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
