At the end of May, our two 2026 Broadcast Cadets wrapped up their last day at Riot Games’ Remote Broadcast Center, (RBC), powered by AWS, in Seattle, Washington — and it was every bit the milestone moment we could have hoped for.

The Broadcast Cadetship, now in its second year, is a three-month paid opportunity designed to give early-career professionals in esports production a behind-the-scenes look at the industry, along with hands-on training and real-world experience.

A Milestone Moment in Seattle

1DF founder and CEO Christie Garton was on site to celebrate this year’s cadets, Marissa (Manny) and Kevin (Kev), alongside the Riot Games RBC team that supported them throughout the program. During her visit, Christie spent time hearing more about the cadets’ experience and reflecting on the impact of a program that continues to open doors for emerging talent in esports and live production.

A special farewell engagement for the cadets was the perfect way to wrap up the day — and Marissa and Kev were presented with a certificate of achievement and a commemorative statue to mark the completion of the program and the work they accomplished over the past three months.

Real-World Experience Inside Esports Broadcasting

Marissa and Kev gained invaluable firsthand experience over the last three months, working inside one of the most advanced esports broadcast environments in the world.

From production and broadcast operations to the behind-the-scenes details that keep major live events running smoothly, they were immersed in the day-to-day work of esports broadcasting. They also had the opportunity to learn directly from industry professionals while contributing to some of the biggest shows in esports.

For example: Taylor Wilkins, the technical operations manager at Riot Games, helped provide on-site guidance for our cadets throughout their time there. If his name sounds familiar, he also hosted a masterclass for our cadetship applicants at the end of 2025!

Allyson Gormley, the global operations director of broadcast and production at Riot Games, also guided our cadets on site at the RBC. She plays an integral role in the cadetship program and kicked off our masterclasses series with a critical info session about the program for potential applicants.

More than anything, this program gave our cadets a real understanding of what a future career in broadcast production can look like — and the confidence that comes from participating in meaningful, hands-on work.

Thank You to Riot Games and AWS

This special day in Seattle served as a powerful reminder of how meaningful partnerships like this one can be when companies invest directly in the next generation of talent. Through this cadetship, students and early-career professionals are gaining access to opportunities and experiences that can help shape the future of their careers.

“This cadetship reflects the kind of long-term, impact-driven work we’ve been committed to since day one, and in a time of deep transition in the workforce, these programs are more important than ever,” added Christie. “We’re proud to continue expanding pathways, especially within emerging industries, that help students turn ambition into lasting careers.”

A huge thank you again to Riot Games’ RBC and AWS for their continued support of the Broadcast Cadetship program and for helping make our second year such a success.