Digital Skills Project

Working with different charities every year, students are exposed to real-world environments (for example, a Digital Fashion Studio, or a corporate head office), enabling us to address the Skills Gap that directly affects business.

The students are given a ‘Brief’ that poses a question related to the charity and are then required to work together in teams and develop DigiTech solutions that address these issues (e.g. Websites and/or Smartphone Apps). The project theme is decided by them about a subject that is related to their age group…? They are taught to research the topic (e.g. mental wellbeing or knife crime), think critically about the issues and how they can use technology to help affect change.

Over a three-month period, we deliver Workshops – usually to over 1,500 students/year – where they are offered the opportunity to learn from _experts in their field-, such as Branding, AI, User Experience (UX) & website design, etc. all of which enables them to work-up their final design submissions.

Once the students deliver their submissions, these are reviewed, and finalists selected, culminating in a Grand Final where the project teams present to a panel of judges made up of sponsors, partners & charities – and are awarded prizes in specific categories. The project continues as an annual event and is growing in both size and professionalism every year.

In 2024, the project launched a series of workshops with recruiters and employers, where students are given advice and support on ‘how to engage with potential employers’, including creating personal statements & video interviews. The sponsors have guaranteed that every year several students will be taken-on as interns, or for work experience – and some will even secure full-time employment through various programmes (e.g. Wavemaker’s Thrive Programme).

Students (those who are awarded prizes, as well as those who simply participate) are introduced to business networks, and sometimes interviewed for roles in top DigiTech, Consultancy and other firms.
 

• Students are introduced to business networks, and many have been interviewed for roles in top DigiTech, Consultancy and other firms
• Some of the students have been employed and others have even set up their own businesses
• Others have progressed into higher education (university), or Degree Apprenticeships
• All have improved their career prospects

Take a minute to view some of the Project Grand Final videos: