FEATURE
Guidance – Double Eleven talent team, from left: Grant Clark, talent and academy manager; Danny Allen, senior talent advisor; Shiona Farrow, talent advisor; Johnny Hughes, senior academy advisor, and Maret Ward, senior early careers advisor.
Using the Unreal Editor for Fortnite( UEFN), students don’ t just watch, they build. They dive into code, art, design and playtesting.
The week culminates in a graduation ceremony in Double Eleven’ s 200-seat auditorium, where students showcase their creations to proud families.
“ Over the last three years, more than 56 young people have directly benefitted, with many staying on pathways toward the industry,” says Maret.“ But the value goes beyond technical skills.
“ It’ s about role models and reassurance. By spending time with professionals, these young people learn they don’ t need their entire lives mapped out yet – they just need to recognise the strengths they already possess.”
While raising awareness of careers in games amongst tomorrow’ s workforce is a top priority, the commitment to talent development doesn’ t stop once you join the team. Double Eleven wants its people to stay curious and always strive to reach their full potential.
“ Landing the role is just the start,” says talent and academy manager Grant Clark.“ We never stop learning. The games industry is constantly evolving and, as a studio, we need to evolve with it or get left behind.
“ Our service excellence, the strength of our partnerships and our reputation are all down to the calibre of our people – investing in them and their future is nonnegotiable.”
Modern – inside Double Eleven’ s stunning Boho X HQ.
This investment took a significant leap forward in 2023 with the launch of the Double Eleven Academy.
The studio identified a common industry hurdle as many of its existing managers moved into leadership roles without the necessary practical skills and confidence to support them as future leaders.
Often, exceptionally talented developers are promoted based solely on their technical ability, without the formal support needed to lead people.
Grant says:“ This is something we recognised as a potential risk to the retention of our great people and ultimately the long-term growth and stability of the business. So we took action.
“ Rather than outsource, we saw the opportunity to build our own academy to deliver tailored in-house training built and delivered to our specific needs.”
As a Northern Council for Further Education-approved centre, the academy delivers Ofqual-regulated qualifications entirely in-house.
Led by Grant and senior academy adviser Johnny Hughes, the academy focuses on two primary pillars of management training and mentoring.
The philosophy is:“ By the studio, for the studio.”
This ensures that the learning isn’ t generic off-the-shelf training but a relevant, inclusive and practical toolkit for Double Eleven employees.
The programmes use a hybrid model of classroom learning, practical observations and presentations to build both competence and confidence.
Crucially, the academy works with people across the business to ensure that training is accessible to everyone, including neurodiverse colleagues, making the path to leadership inclusive by design.
Grant says:“ In 2023 we launched our in-house learning and development academy with a focus on‘ learners for life’. This ensures that personal development isn’ t just a perk, but a strategic pillar of the company’ s long-term success.
“ When people join our team we make a commitment to their ongoing personal and professional development. Every business needs good people – when people feel valued, invested in and supported, they are much more likely to stay with us.”
The results speak for themselves. Since its inception, more than 50 employees have graduated from the academy.
Many of them have come full circle and now act as mentors for the next cohort, creating a self-sustaining environment of knowledge and support.
Through graduate placements, apprenticeships and strategic partnerships with education providers, Double Eleven is proving you don’ t need to move to London or Seattle to work on the world’ s biggest franchises. You can do it from a studio overlooking the Riverside Stadium.
By investing in the Schools to Careers programme for the youth, and the academy for their staff, Double Eleven is building a sustainable, values-led workforce for the future of the Tees Valley.
As the digital sector continues to grow at pace, Double Eleven serves as a reminder that even in the high-tech world of virtual realities, the most important asset is people.
The voice of business in the Tees region | 41