The London College of Contemporary Arts (LCCA) demonstrated the critical role of gaming and creative technologies in building the UK’s future-ready workforce at a recent panel featuring some of the UK’s most influential leaders in robotics, AI and engineering.
David McGreene, assistant dean of games at London College of Contemporary Arts, said: “Gaming is one of the most engaging ways to prevent the drop off in interest from young adults when it comes to technical skills. We can inspire teenagers and young adults to engage in STEM-related career pathways by teaching these skills in fun and exciting ways.
“At LCCA, we see creative technologies not as separate from STEM, but as a critical bridge into it, and beyond. Many gaming software programmes have been used in industry and beyond, from Mercedes dashboards to the recent NASA Artemis mission. To build a digitally fluent, future-ready workforce we need to meet young people where their interests already lie.”
With demand for digital and engineering skills continuing to rise, LCCA is championing a more inclusive and engaging approach to STEM education.
Make UK, the UK’s leading manufacturing membership organisation, recently reported that 41 percent of firms cite access to skills as a key business risk in 2026 but that 36 percent of firms see digital technology, cloud and AI as one of the biggest opportunities.
“This is one of the reasons we launched our BA (Hons) courses in Computer Games Art, and Computer Games Design,” added McGreene.
“We can provide students with skills such as rapid prototyping, user-centred design and software engineering that are crucial to the new roles developing within UK industry.
“Add into this the teamwork, critical thinking and resilience that this course delivers, and you can soon see a new type of workforce evolving”.
Established in 2016, London College of Contemporary Arts has grown into an institution with more than 12,000 students, offering industry-focused degree programmes in partnership with the University for the Creative Arts.
With campuses in Tower Hill and Aldgate, LCCA provides a flexible learning environment designed to prepare students for careers across the creative and technical industries.
The college is also working with STEM for Kids and VEX Robotics to extend their reach past further education to primary age students. VEX Robotics is one of the world’s leading platforms for robotics education.
LCCA is providing support for a group of primary age students in the UK to gain the skills needed to compete in the VEX Robotics World Championships, a competition aiming to foster STEM skills and interest in technical careers.
Paul McKnight, operations director at VEX Robotics, said: “Our work with institutions like LCCA is vital in creating clear and engaging pathways from early years education all the way through to university.
“By combining creative disciplines like software design with hands-on robotics experience, we can help students develop both the technical skills and passion needed to thrive in future engineering and technology roles. Career journeys are always at the front of our minds.”
By integrating gaming, computer technology and business management into its curriculum, LCCA aims to create broader and more inclusive pathways into technical careers. Creativity runs through every aspect of the college’s approach alongside a focus on real learning for real life, blending technical and human skills to develop the UKs future workforce.
