HP – SA gaming career interest high, but resources still an issue

Much has been made of the gaming and esports industry in recent years, with it once looked down upon by others, but rising to prominence as a viable career path.

To glean a bit more insight into the local gaming/esports industry, HP recently conducted a survey and compiled a report highlighting sentiment among South African youth and what is needed in order to make a career in these areas more viable.

With the South African esports industry revenue spend expected to reach $26.4 million (~R477 million) this year, and a projected market volume of $34.9 million (~R631 million) by 2029, HP believes positions in gaming and esports can serve as a powerful, yet underutilised pathway in addressing youth unemployment in the country.

One of the key elements to come out of the report is the contrast between just how many people are keen to enter gaming/esports careers, but the sheer lack of access to (or knowledge around) getting related resources.

“While most South African gaming enthusiasts are eager to turn their passion into a career, most remain unaware of the training and job opportunities available to them,” – a release from HP explained.

“What is resoundingly clear from the report is that there is strong interest in SA’s gaming and esports industry and careers within it. As a company committed to accelerating digital equity, it is important for us to gain an understanding of the youth’s needs as we work to provide solutions such as the HP Gaming Garage, a free online designed to help them develop their skills and succeed in the growing digital economy”

– added Yesh Surjoodeen, MD for Southern and Central Africa at HP.

Based on feedback from respondents, the report found that 70 percent of youth expressed strong interest in pursuing a career in gaming. In contrast, 80 percent cited a lack of knowledge about educational initiatives that could prepare them for future roles in the gaming, media, and ICT industries as their main challenge.

According to HP, this points to a critical gap in awareness despite the growing enthusiasm.

“Evidence of this rise in career interest was reflected by participants who indicated that they were 9 times more likely to pursue a career in the gaming industry, and 4 times more likely to become a game developer, if they also showed high interest in participating in a programme like the HP Gaming Garage. This underpins HP’s efforts to ensure that the growing interest in technology fields are nurtured and catered for through accessible educational platforms, aligned with the future workforce’s aspirations,”  – the company shared.

Looking a bit closer at potential prospects in the industry, the report found that the anticipated entry-level salaries in the gaming industry to range from R10 000 to R30 000 per month (R120 000 to R360 000 annually), depending on skills and qualifications.

“This aligns with the average South African salary of just under R26,800 per month , well above the national minimum wage of approximately R5,000 per month . However, with an average IT sector salary of R840,000 per year in South Africa, a tech career presents a highly attractive opportunity,” HP continued.

It is at this point that HP highlighted its Gaming Garage as a potential solution to the issue of accessing resources. For those unfamiliar with the platform, in 2021 it launched an Esports Management and Gaming Development Academy to prepare students for professions in gaming and esports.

Here HP has committed to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people by 2030.

“HP’s report showcases the appetite of South Africans for accessible streams of education in this space, especially as South Africa is at the forefront of African esports. HP Gaming Garage is bridging a pivotal gap that helps students connect directly with game development and esports industry experts through workshops and internship placements,”

– noted Mayank Dhingra, senior education business leader at HP.

The HP Gaming Garage offers free access to 82 modules, in 12 languages including Swahili and French. It also features curated courses in Esports Management, Game Design, Game Programming and Gen AI Game Development.

Whether access to resources alone will prove enough to further develop the gaming/esports industry locally remains to be seen, but as interest in this area continues to build, hopefully more private sector companies will look to assist where needed.

Source: htxt.co.za

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Szarlot

I am a fan of casino games especially roulette and blackjack. After that I analyze current events in the gambling industry.

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Szarlot

I am a fan of casino games especially roulette and blackjack. After that I analyze current events in the gambling industry.