The UP 100: Meet Leon, Game Developer

Mature student, Leon Coertze, has been featured in The UP 100 – a compelling showcase of 100 exceptional students and graduates achieving success across Australasia and beyond.

With a diverse background in Sales and Information Technology, Leon has thrived in various senior roles; notably as the Director of Wakkie Lab, Art Director of Mission Media Agency and the Marketing Consultant for Harcourts.  

A strong self-starter, Leon is taking on the next challenge in his career – this time in animation.

A jack of all trades, Leon is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Animation at Yoobee College of Creative Innovation to forge his new career as a game developer.

In recognition of his diverse and world-ready skills, Leon was selected by Yoobee for a 12-week Metaverse Mentored Internship at WIR Group in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Part of the 2022 Prime Minister’s Scholarship Programme, the internship was funded by Education New Zealand to connect high-achieving Kiwi students with industry leaders in Asia.

While interning with WIR Group, Leon had the opportunity to work on the initial phase of the Nusameta metaverse to enable users to create avatars on their digital devices leveraging Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence technology.

“It was an honour to work alongside WIR Group who are pioneers in cutting-edge immersive technology on a global scale,” says Leon.

“I cannot wait to be a part of the next phases of innovation in this space in my career as a game developer.” 

“With an unlimited willingness to learn, I hope I can show people that it’s never too late to reinvent your career – what I hope I represent in The UP 100.”