With all of the layoffs in the gaming industry these days I would recommend getting a solid education that gives you flexibility across industries. Computer Science/Data Science would be a good field to look at for such a purpose. Mathematics and engineering would be another area to consider. There a lots and lots of modders but very, very few get hired by the gaming industry. In similar vain, many people play sports in high school/college but very, very few go pro. That said, build a solid work ethic which can be demonstrated via a professional resume.