At our Clubs, we believe every passion can become a pathway to a bright future. Our teens, like many of their peers, are very interested in gaming.
When we announced a field trip to the sprawling 100 Thieves compound in LA, the spots went fast! During the trip, teens got a behind-the-scenes look at career pathways in gaming—from marketing to design to engineering.
They received a warm welcome from the 100 Thieves team. CFO and Chief Business Officer, Jason Ton, said, “For so many of us here, it all started with a deep passion for gaming and internet culture. We want to demystify that path from passion to profession. By opening our doors, we hope to show these kids that the world they love online is built by real people with real careers—from designers and editors to producers and marketers. It’s about making that future feel tangible.”
During the tour, teens explored many facets of the industry.
- They learned about coaching, analytics, and performance optimization in the esports team practice rooms.
- The Lexus Video Studio revealed careers in production, editing, and content strategy.
- They met the creators of Higround keyboards and learned about product design and engineering.
- Meeting content creator Valkyrae and learning about personal branding was a highlight!
Throughout the trip, they asked questions about day-to-day operations and strategy behind scouting talent and marketing the brand.
This experience perfectly embodies our workforce readiness philosophy at Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica. We don’t just tell kids they can achieve their dreams—we show them the concrete steps to get there. By connecting our teens’ existing interests to professional pathways, we make career success feel achievable and exciting. We are very grateful to the 100 Thieves team for welcoming us into their offices and sharing their expertise with enthusiasm.
