New Company Created By Gaming Veterans To Improve Esports Hiring Using Certification
| Tags: General
| Author Jaishil Mistry
Park and Friedman developed an exam to add merit to hiring processes.
In an announcement on Twitter, Sebastian Park and Ryan Friedman announced the launch of their new company the Esports Certification Institute (ECI).
We are excited to announce the launch of Esports Certification Institute, a Public Benefit Corporation created to foster professionalism, promote meritocracy, and increase diversity and inclusion in esports. ECI was created to give another path into esports for industry hopefuls pic.twitter.com/NQyxjiWOBc
— EsportsCI (@EsportsCi) April 27, 2021
With exams and certification programs beginning as early as June, people are able to sign up immediately. The goal of this institution is to improve hiring practices in the esports industry and add merit to decisions being made.
The founders of ECI have plenty of experience in the esports realm. Park was the Houston Rockets Esports VP and Friedman was the chief of staff at Dignitas.
Park and Friedman are creating the initial 120 question exam with an assembly of over 40 people drawn from esports organizations including; Cloud 9, FlyQuest, Gen.G, ESG Law, Evil Geniuses and BitKraft. The exam also includes an essay portion testing esports knowledge, statistical literacy and problem-solving skills. Examples of the material featured in the exam include questions like explaining the difference between peak concurrent viewers and average concurrent viewers. Which is one of the types of questions you could expect to see in the exam's statistical literacy category.
Increasing diversity in hiring
The primary goal of ECI is to provide a tool for gaming organizations to increase diversity in hiring and professionalism. The exam will allow for people to be hired based on knowledge and skill set. Rather than working their way up the executive ladder from entry-level positions. Park and Friedman are hoping that the exam and certification programs will become an industry-wide benchmark in the future.
The exam is available by paying a fee and study guides will also be accessible at a cost. The fees and membership program for successful exam graduates will allow ECI to earn and maintain a profit. This business is a year in the making according to Park.
Park has been in esports since 2014 and thought of ECI when acknowledging the many problems within the industry. “We’ve seen the same story play out over and over of people already in the space able to interview for jobs while really talented new people didn’t make it through,” Park said. He is hoping that ECI will resolve this, allowing for equally qualified candidates to come into and work in esports.