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Jordan Smee My Story
My name is Jordan Smee, I studied Computer Games Development at UCSE and this is my story.
My name is Jordan Smee, I am 25 years old, I studied Computer Games Development at University Centre South Essex from 2018 until 2020 and this is my story.
I was born and raised in Essex to a middle class family, in the countryside of the Dengie Area.
During my time at the college between 2015-2017 while I was doing my two years BTEC course, I was encouraged by the head of the games course at the time to consider staying on at the college to continue into the university course, and after reviewing a number of options within other universities I decided to heed that advice, as at the time the university offered a more broad course structure to some of the others which had more narrow and closely defined subjects. This was useful because at the time of choosing I had little real knowledge of the industry and didn’t know where I wanted to go within it.
During my time at the university, I had a genuinely great experience. From the moment I joined, to the moment I left, I was supported by both the tutors and by my peers, and although I ended my time at the university at home due to the pandemic. Before that time I learned plenty and grew both as a creative and as a person.
The course lead was phenomenal at ensuring we were as prepared as possible, and taking a technical minded focus enabled me, who granted was more artist focused, to broaden my skillset and give me a chance to learn and explore other avenues within game development that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to learn or capitalise on. In tandem to this, the events and industry connection we had and used in our visit to Bossa Studio did a great job and keeping me invested and in tune with some of the expectations people were expecting from within the industry.
Within my time at the university I was given the chance to broaden my skillset and explore the various different ways in which games can be made and how to approach that. The course primarily takes a technical focus the game development and so coding, tools programming etc. take presidency but it doesn’t mean we were limited to these points, instead these were usually pathways to lead us to explore other options, coding could lead into shader creation and understanding the mix between technical and artistic pursuit, tools programming gave us faster pipelines which could be expanded to create generative tools in Blender or Maya.
These skills have given me a solid baseline upon which I can now specialise and focus in on the parts of my industry that I love, and with those other skills in toe it means I am a more capable developer and can aid in more cases than I can’t and I wouldn’t be able to do that without the time I had to gain those skills.
Since completing my course at the university I have gone on to publish an interview of my work and process in 80.lv a well-known game development website and organisation that help to share information around the industry from development logs to interviews. I have also gone on to work with Surgent Studios a transmedia company that is currently working in partnership with EA Originals on an unannounced video game project.
I also recently joined the Grads in Games organisation as an industry advocate, helping to get more up and coming graduates into the industry.
I am currently working with Surgent Studios. I am a technical artist which requires me to act as the bridge between both the programming/design teams and the art team. This means that I will be doing a variety of shader creation, tool generation for artists, optimisation of assets and materials alongside implementations and blueprint work to ensure visual consistency. I have also recently taken on a number of VFX pieces, and thus in that I also create new VFX for various aspects of our game.
I had previously worked freelance both at an indie company and a modding project, Black Clover Games and Beyond Skyrim. From there I did some minor contract work and during the spring of 2021 I was approached for the position of Technical Artist for Surgent and applied and was lucky enough to get into the company.
Doing higher education means you can gain a better understanding and a broaden your skills for the industry you want. Additionally, if your course is able and can get you to industry events, these events can enable you to make numerous connections within the fields you are aiming for. I’ve known a number of current and past students already in the short time I’ve been in the industry who know a number of my colleagues due to events they’ve been able to go to, and I know that this has enabled those students to progress further than those who have not made those connections.
I also think for those who do pursue further or higher education, the education itself should inspire you to do additional work on yourself at home or wherever you are. Courses can only teach so much and while that could be seen as a negative, it can also be an impetus for a student to go on and learn things that have been missed or get answers to questions that the subject just doesn’t or can’t answer yet.
My time at the university really helped my confidence, I have never been the most confident person in the world, but being able to chat with other people who shared my interests but could also be critical of my work and enable me to keep growing both as a creative and a person, it massively helped me figure out myself and where I wanted to be in the fields I was interested in.
I’d recommend the UCSE for those who want to gain a baseline skillset that could enable them to specialise in any field that then takes their interest. Having an overall understanding of your subject will let you more accurately decide what area you want to pursue.
My greatest achievement so far has been my interview with Lv.80, it was an unexpected surprise as I wasn’t ready for the project I had released at that point to gain so much traction and gain their attention. The interview was great and I’m very proud of the published work.
I’m looking forward to the eventual release of the project I’m working on now, and in the future I plan to continue to just make interesting and exciting games that will give people new experiences.
Success stories
Success story: Monique Warburton
Course studied
Throughout my time at South Essex Colleges Group, the tutors were incredibly supportive and always encouraged me to keep going, even during difficult times.
My name is Monique Warburton, and I studied Level 6 Professional graduate Certificate in Education (PgCE) at South Essex Colleges Group.
Before studying my PgCE, I worked in special needs care, supporting young people in my local community and giving their parents valuable respite. Helping young people gain independence inspired me to pursue a career in teaching.
I began with an Access to Teaching course, which helped me build confidence in academic writing and prepare for university-level study. I then completed four years of Special Needs Studies before taking a break. Having spent many years at South Essex Colleges Group, I chose to return to complete by PgCE in 2023 because I already felt comfortable and supported by the staff. Staying local at the Southend City College campus gave me the confidence to continue my education after being out of learning for a long time.
Studying for my PGCE was a huge achievement for me. The course taught me valuable skills including lesson planning and how to use digital technology in teaching, such as Kahoot and Blooket. Throughout my time at South Essex Colleges Group, the tutors were incredibly supportive and always encouraged me to keep going, even during difficult times.
Since graduating, I have been working at the college as a part of the Adult Workforce Skills team. I previously worked as an iPrep tutor teaching employability skills, including health and safety, money management, and mental health first aid. I also taught counselling skills and support work before progressing into teaching Business Administration and IT.
I now help learners develop skills in Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Cyber Security, something I genuinely enjoy because I continue learning new skills myself while helping others achieve their goals.
My time at the college massively helped prepare me for the workplace and also built my confidence personally. Completing both my degree and PGCE are among my proudest achievements, alongside raising my children and working full-time as a teacher.
The best thing about further education is working with learners who genuinely want to be there and achieve their qualifications. I would absolutely recommend South Essex Colleges Group because of the support available from staff, the welcoming environment, and how accessible the campuses are locally.
Looking ahead, my ambition is to open a small cooking school for students with learning disabilities, helping them develop life skills while also working towards maths and English qualifications. I want to continue supporting others to gain confidence and independence, just as I was supported throughout my own journey.
Find out more information about our teacher training courses
The course has prepared me for the workplace in many ways, not only by developing my technical skills but also by helping me build confidence.
My name is Jay Hayden, and I studied BA (Hons) Photography at the University Centre South Essex (UCSE) and I am currently working as a freelance photographer.
I chose to study at UCSE because of how accessible it was and how welcoming the environment felt. Compared to other colleges and universities I visited, the staff made the campus feel homely and supportive, which really stood out to me.
I studied at the Luker Road Campus in Southend-on-Sea, where I completed my BA (Hons) Photography. Although photography had been a passion of mine for a few years, I hadn’t had access to professional facilities such as a studio, darkroom, or print space. I knew that if I wanted to succeed, I had to fully commit and push myself to improve.
During my time on the course, I gained access to industry-standard equipment and facilities, which made a huge difference to my development. Working in a studio environment was completely new to me at first, but over time I built confidence and now feel very comfortable in that setting. This experience has also helped me secure work outside of university in studio-based roles.
Since studying, I’ve had many exciting opportunities. My work has been displayed in exhibitions, galleries, and art shops, and I’ve successfully sold prints through my Etsy shop. I’ve also photographed a wide range of events, including dance shows, pet photography sessions, weddings, parties, and hen dos. One of my proudest achievements has been being awarded ‘Photographer of the Year’.
The course has prepared me for the workplace in many ways, not only by developing my technical skills but also by helping me build confidence. I’ve learned how to communicate effectively with clients and how to promote myself and my work professionally, skills that are essential when working freelance.
One of my favourite memories from my time at college is the brief delivery days, where tutors introduced new projects and shared different artists and photographers to explore. These sessions gave me a huge amount of inspiration and helped shape my own creative style. In fact, one of my greatest achievements so far has been discovering my niche and developing a strong, personal style through my work.
What I value most about further education is the knowledge I’ve gained. I’ve learned skills I would never have experienced otherwise, such as processing and scanning my own film, which has added another dimension to my photography.
I would highly recommend UCSE as it’s a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place to study, with access to the kind of equipment and support that really helps you grow and progress in your chosen field.
Looking ahead, my ambition is to become my own boss and continue building my freelance photography career, combining personal creative work with client-based projects. In the future, I would also love to become a photography tutor, sharing my knowledge and helping others develop their skills and confidence.
I would highly recommend South Essex Colleges Group and University Centre South Essex. The lecturers are welcoming, supportive, and genuinely make you feel seen, creating a positive and encouraging environment to learn and grow.
My name is Gabriel Buckley, and I am currently studying Creative Media & Promotion at University Centre South Essex (UCSE).
I chose to study at UCSE after seeing one of my close friends thrive on the same course. At the time, I felt stuck in a rut, but something about the course stood out to me in a way nothing else had before, it gave me a sense of direction and possibility.
Before coming to the University Centre, I spent a year studying Film Production in Lincoln and worked as a chef for five years. Although I initially thought film was my path, being fully immersed in it made me lose my passion, leaving me feeling uncertain about my future. After returning to Southend, I rediscovered my creativity through photography and videography, initially combining it with my work in the kitchen. This soon evolved into a passion for portrait and fashion work, which ultimately led me to this course.
My time at college has helped me grow significantly, both professionally and personally. It has given me the confidence to trust my abilities, approach new opportunities, and engage with industry professionals. I’ve learned that failure is part of the process, and it has strengthened my problem-solving skills and resilience. I have also improved my social skills, which has been invaluable when networking and collaborating.
Beyond preparing me for a career, university centre has helped shape my personal development. What started as a hobby has now become a clear career path. I’ve developed the ability to manage multiple projects at once, improving my workflow and multitasking skills across different creative disciplines.
Alongside my studies, I work as a freelance photographer and videographer, focusing on elevating brand promotion by enhancing portfolios and brand identity. I originally started this journey three years ago as a hobby, but over time I’ve built a growing client base and continue to push my work forward.
One of my favourite memories at college has been organising and taking part in shoots with other students and creatives. Collaborating with peers, working with models, and arranging test shoots, particularly with Matthew David Andrews, has been a highlight of my experience.
For me, the best thing about higher education is the sense of freedom it offers. It allows you to explore your interests in depth and shape your learning around your individual goals, creating a more personal and meaningful experience.
I would highly recommend South Essex Colleges Group and University Centre South Essex. The lecturers are welcoming, supportive, and genuinely make you feel seen, creating a positive and encouraging environment to learn and grow.
One of my proudest achievements so far is having my work published in multiple magazines, including Artells, ASBO, and Marikas. I have also submitted work to D&AD with Olivia Woolford, which was a particularly rewarding milestone in my creative journey.
Looking ahead, my ambition is to establish my own production house not just as a space for my own work, but as a platform to support and elevate other creatives. I’m passionate about creating opportunities for others and contributing to a wider creative community.
