From college classroom to BAFTA finalist: Alex Bowers' game design journey

Written by AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group

For many aspiring Game Developers, creating a successful game is a dream. For Alex Bowers (pictured), a student at Capital City College, that dream became a reality when his game, Lattice, was shortlisted for the BAFTA Young Games Designer (YGD) Awards 2026.

Meet Alex

As a Learner on the AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group Level 3 Diploma in Games, Animation and VFX Skills, delivered in collaboration with NextGen Skills Academy, Alex has transformed a lifelong interest in games into nationally recognised success.

Like many young people interested in technology, his fascination with games started at an early age.

Alex said: "When I was younger, I used to play games on the school computer and I thought they were really cool. Back then I wondered how they were made."

Curiosity soon turned into a passion. After studying Computer Science at secondary school and building his programming knowledge, Alex began creating games of his own. Through his studies and practical projects, he developed the skills and confidence to turn his ideas into fully developed creations.

Creating Lattice

Inspired by the classic game Minesweeper, Alex wanted to take a familiar concept and transform it into something entirely new. In Lattice, players progress through seven rounds of challenges, unlocking upgrades and perks as they advance.

What makes this achievement even more impressive is that Alex created every element of the game himself, applying the technical and creative skills he had developed throughout his studies.

After sharing Lattice with his tutor, Ade Anwar, curriculum manager for Games and Digital at Capital City College, he was encouraged to enter the BAFTA Young Games Designer Competition.

For Alex, the project became an opportunity to challenge himself, experiment with new ideas and put his learning into practice. What began as a College project ultimately became a game recognised on a national stage.

Reaching the BAFTA Young Games Designer finals

The BAFTA Young Games Designer Awards inspire, support and celebrate the next generation of Game Development talent, providing young creators with opportunities to showcase their work to industry professionals.

Alex was one of four Students nominated for the Competition by Ade. His game stood out, earning him a place as a Finalist in the Game Making Award category, and a feature on the BAFTA Young Games Designer Finalists website.

Reflecting on the experience, he commented: "It was great to showcase Lattice to other talented Games Designers and industry guests. The community is inspiring me to develop Lattice and make more games."

Learning through creativity

For Alex, Game Development is about more than coding – creativity, curiosity and continuous learning are equally important.

He added: "The process of making art is much more fun than the art itself, because you get to learn techniques, while making new pieces."

This willingness to experiment, learn from challenges and keep improving has been central to Alex's development. It has helped him build not only his technical abilities, but also the confidence to share his work and pursue ambitious opportunities.

Developing industry-ready skills

Alex's success highlights the value of combining technical expertise with the wider professional skills needed to thrive in the creative industries.

Through the AIM Qualifications Level 3 Games, Animation and VFX Skills Diploma, Learners develop specialist knowledge, while strengthening key transferable skills such as communication and critical thinking.

Designed in collaboration with industry, the Qualification gives Learners opportunities to work on practical projects, build professional portfolios and apply their knowledge in realistic creative scenarios. For Alex, this provided a platform to develop his ideas, refine his technical abilities and create work capable of gaining national recognition.

Ade believes that preparing Learners for industry means developing more than technical expertise alone. He commented: "Students are often very interested in the software and the technical skills, but we actually reinforce communication, critical thinking and collaboration in all of our assignments and courses."

He added: "We're even able to get industry giants to come here and explain to our students that those are things you need to develop at the early stage of your career. The games landscape may be changing, but your ability to express yourself, communicate effectively and collaborate with others retains its value throughout your career."

Looking ahead

Alex's journey demonstrates what can be achieved when passion, creativity and industry-focused learning come together.

As a Learner on the AIM Qualifications Level 3 Games, Animation and VFX Skills Diploma, he has developed the knowledge, practical skills and confidence to take his work beyond the classroom and onto a national stage. His success shows how project-based learning can help Learners transform their interests into achievements.

With three completed games, four more currently in development and a BAFTA Young Games Designer finalist achievement already under his belt, Alex's future in Games Design looks bright.

Most importantly, his story sends a powerful message to aspiring creators. Every successful Developer starts somewhere, often with nothing more than an interest in games and a willingness to learn.

For Alex, the BAFTA finals may have marked the end of one chapter, but they are clearly the beginning of many more exciting opportunities to come. His story demonstrates how industry-relevant learning can help aspiring Developers turn their ideas into reality and achieve recognition beyond the classroom.