Objective

Esports is a billion-dollar industry, but is still considered nascent. The workforce behind the camera has long lacked diversity. Breaking in has meant navigating an industry with limited training pipelines or entry points. 

1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF), a 501(c)(3) dedicated to workforce development and training for those who are underrepresented, set out to change that through its Broadcast Cadetship program, in partnership with Riot Games and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Together, the three partners created a structured, accessible pathway in broadcast production, including education through masterclasses, mentorship and hands-on training at a top global broadcast facility, Riot Games’ Remote Broadcast Center, powered by AWS (Dublin and Seattle).

The Cadetship reflects a shared belief that access to education/opportunity are what moves an industry forward.

Entering its second year, the program was designed with one goal: Build a pipeline by offering emerging talent an entry point into esports broadcasting careers. The partnership brings together three organizations with distinct strengths:

• 1DF manages the recruitment pipeline (promotion, outreach) and provides ongoing support to the Cadets
• Riot Games powers the apprenticeship-style Cadetship in its advanced broadcast facility among a trained team of broadcasting professionals, providing Cadets a paid, three-month, hands-on experience
• AWS powers the broadcast infrastructure, where Cadets gain experience 

Impact goals include: 

• Generate awareness about the partners’ commitment to advance underserved individuals in esports and gaming
• Drive ongoing engagement with applicants and all participating partners beyond the initial award
• Provide our partners & esports ecosystem with an ongoing pipeline for talent for additional opportunities

Strategy

The Broadcast Cadetship came to life through a shared commitment between 1DF-Riot Games-AWS to prepare participants for employment. Rather than a one-off campaign, the three partners designed a program with multiple touchpoints, each intended to widen the door for people who want to work in esports production and ensure they have the skills to succeed. 

The program unfolded across two phases: 

1. A free, virtual Masterclass series
2. Paid on-site Cadetships at Riot Games' Remote Broadcast Center (RBC) powered by AWS, including housing and travel. The inaugural program took place at Riot Games’ RBC in Dublin; the second, launching Winter 2026, will be at the new Seattle RBC. 

The biggest challenge was reaching the right candidates for a program that didn't exist before.

1DF built a hyper-targeted marketing plan around the Masterclass series, giving prospective applicants direct access to esports industry professionals while preparing them to apply for the Cadetship. That pipeline was strengthened by 1DF's ecosystem already in place. The Cadetship sits within 1DF's broader gaming and esports initiative, which includes grant funding, mentorship and year-round programming that keeps participants connected to new opportunities.

Masterclass series (Educational Component)

• Four virtual sessions open to anyone, regardless of their interest in the Cadetship
• Sessions featured Riot Games leadership and AWS engineers covering relevant topics, including technical operations inside the RBC, broadcast production skills development and CV/application prep
• A launch event with Riot's Global Operations Director Allyson Gormley and Producer Emma Lange set the tone for the series and introduced the Cadetship opportunity
• All sessions were recorded and published on YouTube, extending their shelf life beyond the live audience

Full-time, paid Cadetship

• Two Cadets selected from a competitive applicant pool for a three-month, paid on-site placement at the RBC (this year: Seattle)
• Cadets rotated through core broadcast departments, including media asset management, graphics, instant replay, audio and production coordination
• Each cadet identified a best-fit team and spent their final weeks embedded in that department, contributing to live productions
• Additional support included a $500 career coaching grant, two dedicated mentorship sessions and ongoing networking opportunities throughout the year 

Promotion and outreach

The Cadetship was supported by a sustained communications strategy with external touchpoints at each stage of the program.

• Two national press releases distributed via PR Newswire: 
  • Announcing the program’s return and open applications (October 2025)
  • Announcing the selected cadets for 2026 (January)
• Multi-channel social campaign across TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and X with both organic and boosted content
• Targeted outreach through 1DF's student and BroadcastHER email lists, which reach more than 36,000 subscribers
• Scholarship board distribution to university networks nationwide
• Amplification through 1DF's “Dream Team” ambassadors (our program with online creators) and coalition partners
• In-person visibility at DreamHack + TwitchCon via ambassador and coalition partnerships
• Masterclass sessions recorded and published on YouTube, extending reach beyond live attendees

The result is a program structure that has already proven it moves participants into full-time roles and a model 1DF is now replicating with new partners, including a Web3 fellowship launching with George Washington University this summer.

Results

The program has been an overwhelming success. The first two Cadets in the program’s inaugural year accepted full-time roles at Riot Games’ RBC. Now in its second year, the Cadetship grew in both reach and impact, reinforcing the model as a repeatable, scalable approach to esports workforce development.

Education and awareness

• The free masterclasses drew over 1,000 registrants for both years
• 150 Cadetship applications were received year 2 (42% increase over the inaugural year)
• Program-specific social content reached 1,462,789 impressions across 1DF's channels
• Paid social stats: 
  • Impressions: 61,122
  • Interaction Rate: 5.60%
  • Clicks: 3,421
  • Conversions: 4,652

Cadetship outcomes

• Two cadets completed the paid, three-month on-site cadetship at Riot Games' RBC in Dublin, rotating through departments and contributing to live productions
  • Both cadets from the program's inaugural year were hired full-time as part of Riot Games’ on-site Dublin RBC team, demonstrating the ability to convert training into lasting careers
• This year marks the program's first male Cadet, reflecting 1DF's broadened commitment to access in esports

Visibility and earned media

• Two national press releases distributed via PR Newswire at program milestones
• Organic features from the most-read esports outlets, including esports.gg and The Esports Advocate
• Promoted to 36,000+ subscribers across 1DF's email lists, with open rates averaging above 30% across audiences
• 1DF student and influencer ambassadors (a group of 72 creators) promoted original Cadetship content across TikTok (147,897 total views) and other social platforms, driving applications from audiences beyond 1DF's network
• In-person amplification at DreamHack and TwitchCon through ambassadors + coalition partner visibility

Media