Nadiyah: Welcome to hundo's esports CareerCon Monthly, and today I will be interviewing the wonderful Tonisha and Lea, and we're going to be talking about esports, a female perspective, careers, challenges, and insights. Girls, do you want to introduce yourselves? 

Tonisha: Yes, uh, hi everyone, I am Tonisha . I am a final year software engineering student currently studying at Eduvos in Bedfordview, and I am also an intern at eBlocks.

Lea: Hi, I'm Leah Thambrin. I'm studying at Eduvos in my final year, and I'm an intern at eBlocks Software, and I'm passionate about video games. 

Nadiyah: I'm so glad to have you guys on board. Um, so let's dive into the questions. As engineering students, how can degrees in fields like IT, software engineering, and related areas contribute to starting a successful career in the eSports industry?

Tonisha: So that actually is a really good question. So I'm a software engineering student and I just recently got into esports and gaming, which is actually really cool, but because I feel my degree and my background and understanding computers and the components and how to utilize them, I actually caught on.

To gaming very fast in terms of understanding controls. So in terms of that, there is also other fields you can go into, not just software engineering. There's also game development, game design, animation, and graphic design that all contribute to game development if you're looking at that perspective.

Lea: Maybe to add on to this, you can also go into creating game consoles and maybe virtual reality headsets with an IT background. 

Nadiyah: Oh, cool. Yeah, I didn't think about that. That's actually quite cool. Some of the job positions you were talking about. So that's super interesting. And it's cool, like, as engineering students, you said that you kind of really quickly got hold onto, like, gaming and esports and doing that, and it actually helped you.

So, Lea, how can you share your perspective on being a female in the esports industry, and what specifically interests you about esports as a female gamer? 

Lea: So I started playing video games in 2013, and back then it was very uncommon for a girl to be playing video games. But looking at it now, things are more inclusive and welcoming, especially in eSports.

Now we have workshops and webinars for women to learn about games, to get into playing games, and also to develop their own games. So that is also what maybe pulled me into the industry. It was very inspiring. 

Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely, because this is also why I wanted you two. So I found, um, Lea and Tonisha on LinkedIn.

And I saw that they play, they were part of an esports tournament in South Africa. And I think it was one of the first tournaments, right, that your uni did. Um, and I found them, and I was like, I had to get you two on, because I feel like it's so important to have female representations in esports.

Especially, like you said, not many girls were playing before. And now it's just like... Boomed and there's so much out there where young people, young girls can get involved. And I feel like a lot of young, a lot of young female viewers are watching this, um, can then start feeling like they can be included into it.

So what are your thoughts on the future of esports players development and potential career paths for players beyond the competitive years? 

Tonisha: Um, so also in terms of that. The gaming industry is constantly evolving from where we started off with arcade games and now you look at it like we had our ps2 like those old consoles and now you have vr headsets so possibilities for gaming are completely endless in terms of technology.

As you know, technology is constantly advancing. You will learn a hundred new things a day about it. Even as a software engineer, I'm constantly learning like there's no ending point to it. 

Nadiyah: Um, so now briefly back to the female, being a female player. Can you briefly describe how esports tournaments work and how they make you feel and what you find most exciting about participating as a female player?

Because I feel like a lot of, um, girls that play, they might not know what to expect, especially like new players. So just to get more females into games and understand it more, or even young boys that are watching. What, what does it entail? How does it work? 

Lea: So the way that eSports tournaments work is usually you have two teams going against each other.

And depending on how well they did, so maybe the first team won, they would move up in a bracket. This will continue until there's about two teams left, and this is called the semi finals. So now depending on what the teams do and how they perform, that will determine the winner. So it's also very stressful, but it's very fun.

Tonisha: Um, then also going back to what you said earlier, Nadia, in terms of us. participating in the Comic Con event this year. That was actually a very crazy story, like we did not expect to go into it. Um, so how it started off was our campus was actually hosting trials and we got involved as more of the hosts of it.

So we were actually running the esports events and the trial. So how this worked was there's about 10 Eduvos campuses across South Africa, and we were all participating against each other and best teams actually got to go forth through to Comic Con. So that's how we ended up there in the competition.

It was an amazing experience. It was like so fast paced. I think Lea and myself were the only females participating in the tournament that day. So as far as the industry goes, there's still room for more female in there. 

Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely. Well, that's a massive achievement. Round of applause. Well done girls. Um, so how does it work?

So how many people in the group?

Lea: So, for our teams that we played at, at Comic-Con, we had about five members per group. Okay. And we went against other students, other Eduvos students. 

Nadiyah: Oh, within the university? 

Lea: Yes. 

Nadiyah: Ah, cool. So what's the prize? 

Tonisha: Um, I think in terms of prizes, so for that one we actually got, um, winners. Sadly, we didn't win that tournament.

Um, but the winners got add ons for their systems. So I think they got headsets, mouse, mousepads. So, there's always cool stuff that they give away. A lot of the bigger, more professional competitions, they'll actually give you a whole PC, they'll give you keyboards, they'll give you like the latest products that they can find in terms of endorsement as well.

Nadiyah: Oh wow, that's really cool. So, from your point of view, what are the key factors that determine success in eSports tournaments, and the key skills that you need to develop?

Tonisha: I think one of the biggest ones is, like, good... You have to stay calm, you have to have good sportsmanship, because it's also such a competitive industry, you're also not going to win every match, but you know you're going to do your best, so, you have to be able to... Be happy that the other team won and also be grateful that you've participated in something to that extent.

Lea: I also think to add on, you have to have good communication skills, because most times in esports you're playing with a team. So being able to communicate your needs to them and also hearing what they have to say during a tournament is very important. Also, since it's a fast paced environment and If need be, like, let's say, for example, your team is falling behind during the tournament, you would need to have adaptability.

You need to be able to think on your feet and think very fast. 

Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely. And just to like, go more into that point you said, um, obviously teamwork is very important. Um, so can you go into more how like team, how the team works and the communication skills that you need and how that helps develop a successful chances of you getting high in the eSports tournament.

Lea: So, um, you would need to think about what you say to your team. So, for example, the way you say things is very important. So you don't want to offend your team members. And also you don't want to drag on your words too much during a game because you have to be very quick. So you need to say a very short phrase, stay very polite, and also think about your team during the time.

Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely. So what are like three tips that you give any, maybe someone else watching that's going to be part of a tournament or something, what are three top tips you would give them?

Tonisha: I think one of the biggest ones that I would give someone coming into esports is just remember that you're there to have fun. It's about enjoying your experience and living in that moment because it's... It's honestly extremely exhilarating, and before you know it, your first match is over and you're already ready to go into your second match.

So I think that's one of the biggest things in terms of advice I'd give somebody else. 

Nadiyah: Lea, do you have anything to add? No, just have fun, guys. That's the most important thing. Um, in your opinion, what makes eSports an exciting and evolving industry? And what opportunities does it offer for young individuals interested in pursuing a career in eSports?

Tonisha: So, for that one, um, there is what we mentioned earlier in terms of the evolution of, uh, gaming. It is constantly evolving. Like... Think about it, maybe 20 years ago you were playing on arcade games or maybe 30 years ago you were playing on arcade games. Now you can get any game you want on your phone whenever you want.

It's so easy, convenient, and I'm actually a bit more of a, well, I started off as a mobile gamer first. So I play COD and PUBG. So it's so convenient and in terms of how the technology is evolving and developing, the, computers that are coming out, the games that are coming out, like, there is no limit to it.

Lea: And also since games are now more mainstream in the media, they also can be played online. So what I think is very interesting is you can compete in eSports tournaments without physically going to the event. You can do it online in the comfort of your own home. 

Nadiyah: And how do people like enter, um, online tournaments?

I didn't realize that you could do that. I always thought you have to go physically to arena and do it. So how does the online aspect work? 

Lea: So it depends on the game. Either the game will have a ranking system for each country. So if you were placed in the top 100, they would be a competition that opens up and you would enter and show proof that you're of that rank, or it may be more free in terms of, they will have a form and anyone can sign up and they'll do trials and whoever succeeds in the trials will be in the tournament.

Nadiyah: Cool. And you said, I know that you said, um. Obviously you're on teams. So let's say someone hasn't got a team, can they join a team? Or do you have to already have like a team ready? 

Lea: So, um, it depends on the company, but you can either join a team that they've already formed, or you can come to the esports tournament with your own team.

Nadiyah: Okay, cool. That's good, no one misses out. So if you don't have a team, guys, you can just enter and join a team, or if you already have a team, get together and apply together. Cool. So next question, what advice would you offer to young girls and women who aspire to enter the world of esports considering the unique challenges and opportunities they might encounter?

Tonisha: One of them would be to understand that the world is constantly changing. It's not the same as it used to be. Where it would be difficult for women or girls to go into certain degrees or career fields. Like, I know for us, in terms of our software engineering degree and the classes that we have, we actually have more females in our degree than males, which is honestly amazing.

Um, so don't ever feel that you have to limit yourself because you are capable of achieving anything you want to and nobody can tell you otherwise. 

Lea: And also, if you ever doubt yourself or feel that you don't belong, just remember you have the right to be there just as much as everyone else does. 

Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely.

That's really good advice. And I'm glad that's like, normally when we've done other career cons, I've tried to have other students, um, join us. Um, especially female students because, um, to build up like more females in the tech industry. And this is the first time I've had females say to me that they've had more females in a class than males.

That's amazing. So there must be a massive difference obviously in South Africa, because obviously you guys are located at South Africa University. So that's amazing. So you've got more females than males in your engineering. That's really cool. So how does that make you guys feel? Because obviously, like I said, when I was in school, guys are always pushed to do more like tech roles, maths roles, and then girls are like more English and art stuff.

So how do you feel knowing that you're in a class full of more females around you in such a dominated male industry? 

Tonisha: So, uh, in terms of that, it's actually ironic that you're bringing that up. So when I was in high school, which was about three, four years ago, I did study IT, uh, information technology. And I think our school was a private school, so there was about seven IT students, but I was the only female in that classroom.

And I noticed just like the teachers and stuff would push more of the guys into studying it. And it was kind of uh, disappointing to see. 'cause you wanted like to feel inclusive, you didn't wanna feel divided, but in terms of how it worked out, which was quite perfect because it was very competitive having an all guys classroom.

So you tended to push to be the best and you had that competition going, but it's amazing to see so many more women passionate about it because growing up, I never really saw that and coming to university now and being in a class where there are more girls than guys. It was honestly amazing. 

Nadiyah: Lea do you wanna add anything?

No. Well, I'm glad that's actually really good. It's nice to see like now how much is changing and how more females are getting involved in tech and hopefully we'll get to a place where. I'll be equal. Maybe we'll have more girls over guys in the tech industry. Fingers crossed. But yeah, it's amazing that you've seen that.

And like you said, from school to college and now you're in university and you've just seen a massive change. That's really cool. I hope that happens across the world and in all industries as well. So how do players and teams stay mentally and emotionally healthy in the highly competitive esports environment?

What tips would you give? 

Lea: So I think it's important for a team to take breaks during their esports tournaments. So maybe they would go on holiday or they'll go for a small outing together. And also it's important for them to sit down and talk to their team members and see how everyone's doing. And also what I've noticed is we usually, if we're playing, for example, League of Legends, and it's a day before the tournament and we're stressed out, we will play another game to take our mind off of the stress.

Tonisha: I think from an experience point of view of playing in a tournament, Um, I was actually in Lea's team, And we were extremely stressed out before the game, Sitting there talking strategies, who's taking which role, And it was very stressful. So we decided like, okay guys, you know what, we're just gonna go walk around, enjoy Comic Con for a bit, our match starts in maybe like half an hour or so.

We all put timers on our phones, we went for a walk, we just like cleared our minds, got to like a calm place. We like, okay, we're going back into the game to have a good time, to have fun. So that really helped us calm down from, uh, like a mental point of view. 

Nadiyah: That's really good. And for anyone that doesn't know what Comic Con is, can you just briefly explain what it is and what's like part of it?

Tonisha: So, uh, Comic Con is a big type of festival that occurs, and there is a lot of, I'm gonna say it blankly, there's a lot of nerdy and geeky stuff going on there. There's a lot of anime, uh, like anime stuff, anybody that's an anime enthusiast, you'll find them there, superheroes, comic books, um, all of that. Like, it's one of the biggest festivals ever, you walk around, you look for merchandise, you also see a lot of guest speakers there, and a lot of gaming tournaments for eSports take place there.

Like, I know this year there was actually a whole section dedicated to eSports and they only had three sections there, so that was extremely impressive, but if you guys would like to know more about it... Google, um, like Google about it. It happens in almost every country, if I'm not mistaken. Uh, I think this is maybe the second or third year that they're doing it in South Africa.

Nadiyah: Cool. So I'm guessing, um, it's kind of like the Marvel one where everyone dresses up. Did you guys dress up? 

Lea: I did last year. 

Nadiyah: What did you dress up as? 

Lea: I dressed up as this fairy. It's from an old comic series called Witch. 

Nadiyah: Oh! Tonisha? 

Tonisha: Well, I wish I dressed up, but they actually gave us, um, shirts to where we, because we were part of the e sports team, but the entire time we were walking around, um, Comic Con, we were looking at people's outfits and be like, okay, next year I'm dressing up as this.

I think we discussed maybe 50, 60 characters that we wanted to dress up as next year. So next year is going to be a very fun experience at Comic Con. I can't wait for it. 

Nadiyah: Cool. That's amazing. That sounds really cool. Um, so what skills do you believe are most critical for success in the e sports industries and how can aspiring e sports professionals develop them?

Tonisha: Um, so one of them is definitely practice. There is a lot of practice that goes into gaming just to understand your skills, your tactics, understanding which role you're better suited to. So one advice I would definitely give to people starting off in esports, pick a game and master it to the best of your capabilities because that also makes the game more fun.

Lea: I think also to enhance your skills, practicing is quite good, but also I find that when you start an online community, maybe you start recording yourself playing a game and you share it with friends and family. Doing that you can hear feedback and also ways to improve and I think it's also important to be receptive to that feedback.

Nadiyah: Oh, that's really good advice. Yeah. Yeah. Cause I was speaking to our head of education who actually helped build the first BTEC esports, um, with, um, in the UK. And he was telling me, um, how we were having a conversation about esports and he was telling me, yeah, like some people, they're playing esports, they're playing gaming.

In their room, but they don't know how good they are until they go to a tournament and they don't realize that they have all these skills and they just never knew and they're competing with people. And then they realize, Oh, my God, I'm actually really good at this. And I can pursue as a, as a professional career.

So yeah, that's a really good advice. Um, so now looking at obviously technology and how fast tech is always moving. Are there any emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, AI, virtual reality, blockchain, maybe virtual, um, art, That you believe that will have a big impact on the future of esports.

Tonisha: I think VR is one of the biggest ones because it is completely changing the gaming industry. Um, like you will see a lot of, like when we went to Comic Con, we saw a lot of VR stations set up and it makes the game a lot more immersive, I think. Um. Yeah, but I think that's all I have to add, Lea? 

Lea: I found with Artificial Intelligence, it's in one of the newest games.

I don't have the name right on the top of my head, but I do remember seeing a clip. So you could talk to characters in the game and they would answer almost any question that you had. And also they would know if you deleted your game, you closed it. I think it was quite cool, so it's bridging the gap between video games and reality.

Nadiyah: It's kind of like having a bot, like a chat bot within the game that tells you stuff and tracks you. That's super cool. Yeah, in the UK we have a lot of, um, VR places that you can virtual reality experience. You can go to and put your headset and you'll be inside the game. And we did that as a team activity, which is really cool.

I feel like within the e sports, it'll probably happen more and have people. And do you think, have you guys played any? Gaming with the VR headset as part of eSports tournaments when you think or 

Tonisha: Um, so I, I actually haven't, I do have a VR headset, but it's a very simple one. It came standard with one of my old phones or something like that.

Um, but I know one of my friends, uh, and myself wanted to build a VR game. We're still trying to find the right VR set and how to integrate the technology, but we are actually very keen on achieving something like that. 

Lea: So I played a game using a VR headset and these controllers that you hold in your hand.

It's a music game called Beat Saber. It was quite cool because you had to move your arms and also you had to move to the side and duck. It was very fun. 

Nadiyah: That's really cool. Yeah, but I think we've played one of the music ones where you have to hit it on the beat or something, and that was really cool. So yeah, there's a lot of things emerging, there's so much, I feel like everyday tech is changing, there's like a new game, there's a new app, there's a new thing, there's like, all is changing.

Um, so what excites you the most about the future of esports and the industry?

Tonisha: I think there's a lot to look forward to in terms of also having more female engagement. Um, but on top of that, the fast rate that the technology is growing in, you can never tell. There'll probably be like two million games out in the next two years or something. And there'll be probably like, we'll be sitting on the PS10 or 20 by then.

But also, at the rate that hardware is evolving. I wouldn't say evolving as such, but we're causing it to evolve from like old standard laptops. Now you have full gaming systems, uh, and also the gaming laptops that you do get that is just going to skyrocket probably in the next two to three years. 

Nadiyah: Lea, do you have anything to add?

Yeah, cool. I think we're almost running out of time. It's such a cool conversation. I don't want to end it. But one last question. Are there any key soft skills you think are particularly important in esports like communication, teamwork, that ability or any that you think that stand out that young people should prepare for when entering esports?

Tonisha: I think definitely communication is a big one in terms of what Leah mentioned earlier when working with a team. And also those are skills you can take into your everyday life or practice them in your everyday life in terms of how you communicate with others and working with a team. As you've said, it does come into play in almost every industry that is out there, not just eSports, so you can learn from other industries and incorporate it into eSports and gaming.

Lea: I think also another soft skill that is very important is resilience. So you may not win every e sports tournament, but it shouldn't discourage you and take you out of the industry. Instead, you should try again.

Nadiyah: Um, and what about when it comes to working in e sports, like some of the jobs that you mentioned, um, at the start of our conversation. So about them, what key skills do you think young people need for them? Would you say the same, or is it some that they should have?

Tonisha: Um, so there's also other skills that you can go into in esports, but touching on the more IT and the development side. Uh, in terms of graphic design and animation, um, that would be more your, well, we call it front end. Uh, that would be more of your front end side, uh, in terms of character design. And I think Lea has the correct word for it. I forgot the word. 

Lea: I think "concept art". 

Tonisha: Concept art. There we go. So, um, in terms of that, that would be more the front inside. You don't really need any Skills to it. Just have a passion for it and try your best because there's no wrong or right answer for that in terms of The back end, that would be more of your map creations and developing the game from the ground up.

Um, so that's more of your IT side. And in terms of skills, this is actually more of Lea's department. Uh, she is studying a language called C#, which is more often used for game development. And, yeah, there's also, I think, a few other careers that you can pursue that don't necessarily just have to be in IT.

You can also go into becoming a spokesperson for eSports, like promoting games and I think, yeah, I think that's it on my side. 

Lea: There's one more career that you can go into so you can become an eSports manager. You don't necessarily have to play the games, but you can have a deep knowledge of the games and you have to be able to explain it in a non technical way to your team and assist them when needed.

Nadiyah: Cool. That sounds so interesting. I think a lot of people forget that when you talk about esports, you're not just talking about players doing tournaments, there's also people behind the scenes, like you said, building the games, um, coaches, um, professionals, and then, like, teammates. There's, like, so much behind the health management, like, there's so much behind it, to build it all and put it all together.

So, yeah. So this has been a lovely conversation with you two. I'm so happy I managed to interview you guys. So I've been Nadia, Head of Marketing at hundo, and we've had Tonisha and Lea, and I wanted to wish you guys all the best. And I hope one day I'll see a game or you guys winning an eSports tournament, and I'll be cheering you guys on.

Um, but yeah, I want to wish you guys all the best. Um, where's the best way to connect with you guys? Do you want to share your socials? 

Tonisha: Um, so the best way to connect with me would be on Instagram. My name is Tonisha Govonder, so you guys can reach out, ask some questions if you have any questions about esports, or you can also contact me on Instagram at Tonisha Govonder.

Lea: I think the best way to contact me would be on LinkedIn at Lea , just my name. Can always send me a message through there. 

Nadiyah: Cool, definitely send them a message if you guys have any questions, especially any girls out there that want some advice on esports and how to enter, or even the tech industry, these are the two girls to go to, and they will definitely reply because that's how I got in touch with them.

I look so, I look forward to having, seeing you guys progress in your careers and see all the amazing things you do in the esports industry, especially in South Africa. I have to come visit you guys one day in South Africa, and if you guys come to London, obviously, feel free, we can meet up. If you guys carry on watching the esports event today, I hope you learned a lot.

Also connect with hundo, you can learn more at hundo.xyz, all these videos will be available on demand and you can follow us on our socials at hundo.xyz. Hope you have a lovely day and enjoy the rest of the day. Bye!

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