London inspiration for NW College IT students

All are studying the Level 3 Extended Diploma for IT Practitioners, which is a specialist computing programme equivalent to 3 A levels, and were accepted to the Career Academy programme which is run in 120 colleges and schools across the UK. Alongside their practical course in IT, the Career Academy allows the students to experience the world of work, with input from local business.

The visit to London brought together 1500 students from across the country for the annual Career Academy Convention, ‘A Capital Experience’, at the Royal Festival Hall. The event encouraged audience participation and focused on raising self-esteem and motivating students and NWRC group thoroughly enjoyed hearing from inspirational guest speakers including Channel 4’s Fairy Jobmother Hayley Taylor and motivational speaker David McQueen, founder of Magnificent Minds.

The Computing students from Londonderry and Limavady spent a morning at the offices of BT Wholesale where they met the person with overall responsibility for providing the communications infrastructure for the 2012 Olympics and took part in discussion and activities with students from colleges in England who are studying a similar course in IT. Lecturer Joanne Sweeney, who accompanied the group said, “The students from North West Regional College really made the most of this experience, asking pertinent questions of those in BT that will help them consider their own career options.”

For some, the experience of being in the capital was a real inspiration, being in the heart of the City of London, where so many business, IT and communications companies are based. The group visited Canary Wharf and St Mary’s Axe, affectionately known as the ‘Gherkin’ in the main financial district.

The London experience is just one of the extra benefits that the Level 3 IT students will get from their participation in the Career Academy. In the coming months, the students will be assigned a Partner in Business, who will help mentor them as they decide how best to plan their careers. This will be followed by a six week internship in industry, which previous participants have found to be extremely advantageous for their understanding of the workplace, and for their CVs. Throughout the two year programme, guest lecturers and speakers will visit the College, and the students will undertake further visits to business to continually inspire and motivate them to achieve their personal goals.

The Level 3 course allows students to prepare for HND or degree level study as well as providing them with practical skills required by employers. With competition increasing for higher education places and in the job market, those participating on the Career Academy at NWRC are gaining additional experience and enhancing their CVs to set them apart from the rest.