Bow Valley College Is Helping Students Build Real Careers in Esports
The global esports market was valued at $1.88 billion in 2022, with forecasts pushing that figure past $7.1 billion by 2028. As the industry scales up, demand grows for people who understand how to manage events, create content, operate broadcasts, and build infrastructure.
Bow Valley College recognized that gap and built a program to help close it. The Esports Business Management diploma trains students to work across esports operations with a curriculum centered around practical experience.
This program was developed as part of a collaborative initiative between Bow Valley College and Calgary Economic Development, with a goal to boost STEM education through esports. That partnership secured $5.5 million in funding, which helped launch a facility and program designed to prepare students for today’s digital industries.
A Program Built Around Real Work
The diploma focuses on helping students build applicable skills for the types of roles that keep the esports ecosystem running. That includes training in:
- Event logistics and production
- Team coordination and operations
- Brand partnerships and sponsorships
- Content creation and media workflows
Students apply what they learn through guided projects and live environments. The structure gives them clarity around how different parts of the industry function and where they might fit.
Led by Industry Experience
Shadi Hanna, an instructor for the program, brings a background in coaching, directing, and running esports events since 2019. He helped design the program around the realities of the industry.
He joined the Mind, Body & Gaming podcast to talk about why programs like this are needed:
"People are generally appreciative [of esports] as a hobby, as a form of recreation, and are aware [of it] as a career path. But there’s a lot of educating needed as far as what careers are available and what skills are needed. And that’s where I think Bow Valley fills that educational gap."
Shadi also pointed to something bigger: a lot of students enrolled in the program know they love games but aren’t sure where they fit yet. There’s a period of discovery where they’re figuring out what it means to contribute to something in a professional setting—and this program gives them space to explore that.
Inside the Arena
The program is powered by the Bow Valley Esports Arena, a dedicated training and production space designed for flexibility and functionality. The main floor includes 20 high-performance gaming PCs, which can be cleared to make space for audience seating during competitions—offering a front-row view of the 5v5 stage. The arena is equipped with:
- High-performance PCs
- Console stations
- A 5v5 competition stage
- A full broadcast control booth
- VR driving simulators
Members of the Lotus 8 Esports team visited the arena to experience it firsthand. Everything in the space was designed with intention. The broadcast room and 5v5 stage stood out immediately, but the VR simulator brought another layer of immersion that added depth to the learning environment.
These simulators were custom built by TracksVR, a Calgary-based company that repurposed flight simulator hardware into fully responsive driving rigs. Using motion capture technology, each setup delivers dynamic feedback that responds to different vehicle profiles, creating a unique experience tailored to how each car behaves.
“This space feels like something built by people who actually know what esports needs.”
Investing in the Ecosystem
Bow Valley College works with groups like Lotus 8 Esports because change starts close to home. These partnerships focus on real outcomes: making esports easier to access, showing where it can lead, and giving people a way to try it for themselves.
The college supports local organizations already doing the work. It’s a practical way to connect education with real opportunities and help more people see a future in esports. Bow Valley stays close to the scene, learns from it, and invests in what’s moving it forward
Careers Are the Focus
The program reflects where the industry is going. Esports organizations, agencies, and media platforms are hiring across roles in marketing, operations, event staffing, and digital content. Bow Valley is preparing students to enter that workforce with a clear idea of how the system works and where their skills belong.
Graduates leave with more than a diploma. They leave with a body of work, a network of support, and real exposure to industry-standard tools and workflows.