Grafton TAFE's newest course has captured the attention of the region's young gaming population.

The brand new Certificate IV in Digital and Interactive Games is available from this month and will cover various technologies such as Blender 3d Unity game engine. The Campus already hosts regular gaming nights, called LAN events, and word about the new qualification has already spread through the participants like a virus.

"I was like, I want into this course," local gamer Shannon Small, 19, told Grafton's Daily Examiner. "I know I'm a long way off programing graphics, but this will introduce me to basic animation and script-making and the editing process. I've loved games since I was a little kid. As a student I can further my horizons, see what makes them work, see them played and play them. You start to pick up small glitches and learn how to manipulate them."

The course also demonstrates to students that gaming is about much more than a hobby – it can be a career.

"Now young people in the garage can develop an app for their phone," said Grafton TAFE teacher Aubrey Thompson. "It's becoming a tangible career option. The gaming industry is definitely one of the most dynamic and exciting growth industries on the planet right now. For all the passionate gamers out there who want to take their knowledge to the next level, we now have a local stepping stone towards a rewarding career."