Labelled as ‘disruptive’ in high school, Elliot Birch never imagined he’d one day be standing on stage as a university valedictorian but that’s exactly what happened in 2024 when he graduated with his Bachelor of Games Development at SAE University College.
Now working in a leadership role at cutting-edge gaming company Halfbrick, which is behind the wildly successful Fruit Ninja, Elliot has come a long way from the often-misunderstood teenager of his high school days.
“I was always sort of seen as a little bit disruptive,” Elliot said, adding his creative interests didn’t translate into academic success in the school environment.
“People who are more creatively minded were punished at high school because of the unit scaling. My confidence took a hit because I felt like I wasn’t as valuable as people who do subjects like maths.”
Elliot graduated with lower marks than he had hoped for, but he didn’t let that stop him from building a successful career in web and product design. For almost a decade he worked at Optus, but in his mid-thirties he felt the pull back to an old passion – games.
“I’d always loved games, just obsessed my whole life,” he said. “I thought to myself, I’m getting older and if I don’t do it now, I’ll be at a point where I’m too old and no one wants to employ me.”
So, Elliot enrolled at the Bachelor of Games Development at SAE University College and promptly excelled in his new course.
Finding his learning style
At SAE, Elliot discovered an environment where his learning approach wasn’t just accommodated but celebrated.
“Being a more mature aged student really helped me,” he said.
“It was so obvious that it was an advantage – I went in with a bunch of extra skills, having already worked in creative industries for 15 years.”
After graduation, Elliot was diagnosed with ADHD which he said put much of his past learning experiences into perspective, but at SAE he found the practical, hands-on methodology resonated with him.
He said the “game-a-week” challenge – an intensive project where students have to create a new game weekly – pushed him creatively and academically.
“It was challenging and very stressful, but super rewarding,” he said.
This approach transformed Elliot’s educational experience.
“The work structure was great for me because it was very practical, and I learn best by actually doing things,” he said.
Valedictorian
When Elliot learned he would be valedictorian, he was floored.
“It’s a massive honour,” he said. “I just couldn’t believe it honestly. It was shocking, but in a good way.”
After overcoming initial nerves, Elliot delivered a successful address to his graduating cohort, an experience which boosted his confidence and quickly paid dividends. Shortly after graduating, he secured the position at Halfbrick.
“They employed me as a developer, and I’m also doing product design, so it’s like my old career mixed with my new one,” he said.
“In my short time there I’ve been promoted – I now lead my team, developing the new and improved Halfbrick+ App. Coming into the role with my previous work experience and all the practical skills from SAE set me up – it meant I didn’t come into this company as a junior and I’ve been able to progress really quickly.”
Elliot said finding the right educational environment in SAE made all the difference.
“It just matched up with how I learned best,” he said.
