Samsung’s teaching game design and programming with Minecraft, Roblox

Samsung Electronics and the H20 Esports Campus in the Netherlands have announced Samsung Sessions: a new initiative through which the two organizations aim to help young people find their gaming talents. More than 350 young participants will go through an ‘intensive program’ which was designed to highlight their gaming talents ‘that may come in handy outside the gaming world.‘

The programs will leverage popular games such as Minecraft and Roblox, and with the help of professional trainers, young people can gain knowledge about programming, digital design, and game streaming. At the end of the program, some of the more talented participants will even be given an opportunity to take home a self-designed game.

Participants will also be given home assignments, and by the end of the Samsung Sessions program, they’ll become eligible for a diploma.

Taking baby steps towards growing the number of IT professionals in the Netherlands

The latest initiative is meant to help young enthusiasts find their talents through gaming, but it also aims to grow the IT community in the Netherlands.

‘The number of IT professionals in the Netherlands is growing,’ said Samsung in the recent statement, but there’s still a ‘significant shortage’ of IT staff in the country. However, more and more employers are now realizing that a person with good gaming skills can be fit for designing or programming virtual systems, and Samsung Sessions attempts to shine a light on those hidden talents.

And, of course, since the H20 Esports Campus is primarily an esports organization, the recent collaboration with Samsung is also viewed as an important next step in the professionalization of the Dutch esports and gaming world, according to Dirk Tuip, founder of the organization.

Samsung Sessions participants must be between 12 and 24 years of age, though participants under the age of 18 are required to gain parental consent. Online registrations are open.