Step in Serious Gaming.

An idea conceived between Growing Kent & Medway, Locate in Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University hopes to help show the realities of a career in fresh produce to the next generation, through video games.

Serious Gaming incorporates the interactive and engaging nature of traditional gaming, while providing players with practical experience of real-world scenarios. It’s a technology that is used across various fields, including education and government to enhance learning outcomes, improve decision-making skills, and facilitate problem-solving.

The initiative was delivered as part of Growing Kent & Medway’s work to address a shortage of skills in the fresh produce sector.

First-year BA (Hons) Game Design students at Canterbury Christ Church University were challenged to develop video games to inspire young people, aged 14-19 years, to consider a career in horticulture.

The 13-week project, which started in February 2024, tasked the students with developing engaging and playable games that showed elements of fruit production in the UK.

To ensure their ‘Serious Games’ reflected the realities of the fresh produce sector, the students undertook extensive research, including visits and interviews with leading horticultural businesses. The engagement with industry helped the students understand how we grow and supply fresh fruit to customers in the UK, looking at different challenges across the supply chain. The following businesses supported the students:

• Bayer: Breeding new varieties
• WET Centre, NIAB: Sustainable growing techniques
• Driscoll’s: Packing and processing
• University of Greenwich, Produce Quality Centre: Storage
• Dogtooth Technologies: Automation and robotics for harvesting

Dr Nikki Harrison, GKM, said: “We need innovative thinking to help share compelling reasons why careers in our sector are great. It’s no good just telling people, they need to see and experience it for themselves. Serious Gaming gives us the tools to do just that.

“Embracing technology through serious gaming we believe could be an innovative way to engage with a young audience and help to bring the next generation of skilled workers we need to our sector”

“By simulating complex situations, serious games allow players to develop a deeper comprehension of the subject matter,” adds Mehmet Erk, a Lecturer in Game Design at Canterbury Christ Church University.

“By incorporating elements of competition, role-playing, and real-time feedback, serious games make learning more interactive, enjoyable, and impactful.

“Connecting our students directly with the industry gave them a unique insight into the complex and advanced careers available in the sector. They were really inspired by the businesses they met.”