Samuel is a game designer of the future

The Art skills required to pursue a career in the multi-million pound industry, allied to creativity and the use of highly sophisticated techniques is something few are either equipped or capable of doing.

One young man from the Armoy area would appear to have all the attributes for a successful career after achieving outstanding results at the Northern Regional College in Ballymoney and gaining a scholarship to the highly respected DeMontfort University in Leicester.

Samuel Henry recorded the highest final award possible from his BTEC National programme - three Distinction grades overall, and, with that, entry to the Gamer Art course at DeMontfort.

Paying tribute to Samuel, an NRC spokesperson said: Samuel developed a highly focused approach to his studies and faced study challenges with positive mental attitude and a diligent attention to produce outcome; his mature attitude permitted him to succeed par excellence in his unit scores and overall gades."

Speaking at an awards ceremony in Coleraine, the spokesperson for the NRC added: "Samuel receives this award for his committed hard work culminating in a triple D award in BTEC National Diploma in Media Production )(Games Design).

"His achievement is the highest possible in the National Diploma scheme and the quality of his work has been acknowledged by his University in their award of his Scholarship in recognition of his high BTEC award."

Samuel independently preapred an art portfolio for his university admission tutors. Described as an "exceptional student", Samuel is regarded by his lecturers as their consistently best achieving student ever.

The 21-year-old who is the son of Jamie and May Henry, of Bushside, near Armoy, is on a three-year course in Leicester and aims to make the most of it.

He is totally focused on completing the course and, hopefully, gaining employment with one of the large companies. To do that, he may have to move to Canada, USA, Japan or Hong Kong.

This forward thinking young man has already embarked on a course studying the Japanese language such is his desire to succeed.

Just a few months into his first year, Samuel told the Times that the drop-out rate was significant over the three years, but he was determined not to be in that category.

"This is something I have always wanted to do and I intend to see it through," he said.

Samuel is attending a university that had the first game art course in England to be accredit to them.

Ultimately, graduation could lead to a range of careers including game artist, 3D modeller, visualisation, simulation and CGI design for TV, film and other creative industries

Samuel will hopefully graduate with a portfolio that includes 2D (drawing, painting, texturing), and 3D (sculpting and modelling) in digital and traditional forms.

Graduates are employed in a wide range of games development companies in the UK, Canada, USA and Hong Kong, and also in creative organisations that are exploring the use of gaming technology for product visualisation, simulation, education and entertainment, such as BMW, the BBC and the UK Armed Services.

Naturally, his parents are proud of their son's achievements to date and wish him all the best in the future.

And such is his standing with the NRC that he and his girlfriend Sade Ali, from Portrush, who is also a student at DeMontfort, that their picture is on the front page of the latest NRC bulletin.