UCOL is looking to bring the U-Skills Academy Gamification Level 3 programme to Whanganui for the first time in 2026.
UCOL’s Gamification Lecturer, Josh Taylor, says the one-day-per-week, three-term programme is a great opportunity for secondary students in Years 12-13 who are creative and into technology.
“The programme introduces students to electronic game design and development. Mixing art, design and computer technology, they learn key characteristics of games, gamification, and game design.”
“We start with a taster to begin with, where ākonga (students) get to experience the process of game development as a group. After that, ākonga then pitch their own game concept and build that over the year.”
“This is a fantastic bridging programme to take part in as there are so many different avenues that ākonga can run with – some go on to do a screen media degree, but interactive design, IT programming, and software development are all great relevant pathways, along with more creative paths like graphic design, animation and illustrating,” explains Taylor.
At the end of the programme, successful students will have achieved 22 unit standard credits across Levels 2 and 3, while getting a taster for whether this industry is the right pathway for them.
Game development is a fairly new industry for New Zealand, but don’t dismiss it because of that! According to the New Zealand Game Developers Association 20025 Industry Survey, released in September this year, total revenue jumped 38% year-on-year to $759 million, almost all of it in export receipts.
“We’ve had some really impressive outcomes from our ākonga who have completed the programme in Manawatū, which just makes me more excited to introduce the programme in the design city of Whanganui,” says Taylor.
“Brooke Hodgetts-Bradnock, a Year 13 student, demonstrated impressive dedication in developing a visually striking game, ‘Extra Terrestrestaurant’. Taking inspiration from the fast-paced mechanics of Overcooked, she successfully created a unique spin on the genre with a cohesive 'neon-fantasy' pixel art aesthetic. The final result - featuring charming character designs and a polished UI - is a testament to her hard work and clearly showcases the creative talent she intends to further develop in her design studies.”
“In 2024, Matthew Cook, a Year 13 ākonga, went above and beyond to build an immersive 3D horror game called ‘Operation Inception’. Stepping up to the challenge of being the only student to work in 3D, he self-taught the necessary modelling skills to create a claustrophobic facility filled with shipping containers and industrial machinery. The game channels the suspense of Jurassic Park through atmospheric lighting and chilling sound design. This impressive grasp of spatial design and structure serves as a fantastic precursor to his future studies in Architecture.”
“This year, Liam Lewis, a Year 12 ākonga, developed a fast-paced dungeon crawler ‘Soul for a Soul’ that stands out for its technical depth. While the pixel-art aesthetic is intentionally minimalist, the game runs complex systems, including procedural level generation. Liam demonstrated great adaptability by pivoting his focus from art creation to programming and system design during the project. His work ethic was exemplary; as a result, he was deservedly honoured with the U-Skills Dedication Award.”