Ever wondered who makes sure your footy video games are great? CJ works as an associate quality assurance manager on Football Manager. His team tests the game to make sure everything works, and collaborates with the developers to create the most realistic simulation of football. Working on one of the world's biggest football video games is the perfect combination of his two biggest passions: gaming and football.
CJ grew up loving football and gaming. He realised he probably wasn't going to be a pro footballer, but was keen to find other opportunities within the game. He studied Sports Science at college and discovered a love of coaching, completing FA Level 1 and FA Level 2 coaching qualifications. He then gained experience in an unpaid role at Arsenal, developing his coaching skills, before landing a full-time paid job at Fulham Football Club with their youth teams.
It was at a networking event organised by Kick It Out, the organisation that tackles discrimination in sport, that CJ found out about opportunities at Football Manager. He joined the studio, combining his two passions.
Career progression in the gaming industry follows several routes. CJ works in QA (Quality Assurance) testing games, and his path has moved from QA tester to QA lead to QA manager. Other roles include production, game design, social media and development, where developers help to code the game. His top tips for aspiring testers are to follow your passion, hone your eye for detail, and work well with others. Salaries can range from around £20,000 to £50,000 and upwards, depending on role, company and experience.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing