Nudgee Esports initiative getting result

St Joseph’s Nudgee College’s Esports program, part of the ACS ICT Gateway to Industry Schools Program, has grown into a thriving, student-led initiative. With a dedicated Esports room, competitive clubs, and an inter-school tournament in 2025, it fosters teamwork, inclusion, and digital skills.

St Joseph’s Nudgee College has been a leading member of the ACS-managed ICT Gateway to Industry Schools Program for over 3 years. This partnership was established by Nudgee College’s Head of Faculty for Technology, Cathy Lamb, who has been instrumental in building a student-centred Esports program that now proudly sits alongside the College’s well-known traditional sporting programs.

Recently, Cathy was gracious enough to host new ICT GISP manager Jonathan for a visit showcasing what life in one of the 50+ schools in the program has looked like so far. This involved visiting one of the key facilities being used to support boys studying Digital Technologies and Digital Solutions – the Esports room.

The current Esports room is a custom designed space that has been developed over time with student input and now features RGB lighting, Minecraft beanbags, a senior and junior area, and professional grade gaming chairs. As fancy as the look of the room may be, it has been the way the program developed and the impact it has had that is truly impressive. Originally begun in response to a request by students who had been on a tech industry excursion, the school first took advantage a PC loan program from Computer Alliance to test out software and demonstrate the possibilities.

They next canvassed the College for support to setup their own gear, joined the school-focused Fuse Cup Esports community, and established an Esports club as a regular weekly event facilitated by students. Alongside the obvious interest that gaming holds with students, Cathy also attributes the programs success to its focus on inclusivity and providing a space for students to develop people skills like teamwork and collaboration.

Such has been the popularity of the program that a junior club has been added, and Esports has now become a key part of the College’s yearly Inter-house Competition. Nudgee are even hosting an inter-school Esports tournament with Queensland Esports in March 2025 that other interested schools can register for.

Just as the 2025 phase of the project kicks off, it was great to learn about the success Nudgee College has had so far. With Game development and Esports as one of the four focus areas of the 2025 ICT GISP, it was the perfect way to begin. Thanks for sharing your story Cathy Lamb and St Joseph’s Nudgee College.

The ICT GISP is funded by the Queensland Department of Trade, Employment and Training. Find out more at https://qldictgisp.acs.org.au/home.html.