Level up! Bishop Auckland esports students swap County Durham for California on epic LA adventure
From the sunny shores of Venice Beach to the high-stakes battlegrounds of Riot Games, students from Bishop Auckland College have just experienced the ultimate trip of a lifetime to Los Angeles.
Fourteen Level 3 esports students – a mix of first and second years – jetted off to the American epicentre of competitive gaming to develop their industry knowledge, rub shoulders with world champions and experience Californian culture firsthand.
And the adventure formed part of the college’s exciting and future-focused pathway into the worlds of esports, computing and digital technologies – industries that are rapidly expanding and evolving.
For 18-year-old Level 3 student Max Simmons, the trip was to LA was a dream come true.
“It was amazing,” Max said. “Being a massive Valorant fan, getting to see Riot Games was fantastic. I also got to hold the Valorant World Championship trophy, which not many people will get to hold! This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The students were granted exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to some of the biggest and most successful names in global esports.
The itinerary included a visit to NRG Esports, the current Valorant World Champions, as well as a tour of Team Liquid, historically the most winning organisation in competitive gaming.
The undisputed highlight of the educational tour was a full day at Riot Games, the powerhouse developer behind global phenomenon like League of Legends and Valorant.
Students explored the company’s workspaces, visited their dedicated tournament arena, and participated in exclusive Q&A sessions with top executives.
To cap it all off, the learners were treated to official merchandise to take home.
Carl Draper, esports programme lead at Bishop Auckland College, designed the trip to highlight the vast career opportunities available in the booming industry.
He said: “We wanted to expose learners to how esports looks from America and how different it is compared to here in the UK.
“We decided on LA due to connections we had gained in the space, but also because of the activities that were close by, making the trip more enjoyable by being able to go to the Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach.
“This trip was important because we wanted to show the possibilities that can be made by being involved in the industry.
“It was also important to give the students an experience they will never forget. A lot of the students had never been abroad, so to have this opportunity for an all-expenses trip was really something special.”
When the controllers were put down, the students embraced the Southern California lifestyle. The action-packed itinerary included thrill rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain, a magical day at Disneyland California and a three-hour open-top bus tour of Beverly Hills to spot celebrity mansions and famous movie locations.
This Californian adventure is part of the college’s ongoing commitment to the Turing Scheme, a UK government initiative that funds international educational experiences and cultural exchanges.
Bishop Auckland College is running more of these trips every year across various departments, with other learners recently jetting off to diverse locations including Tanzania, Berlin and Bordeaux.
*Anyone interested in joining the esports programme at Bishop Auckland College should check out bacoll.ac.uk/subject/esports/
