New courses in digital and information technologies are being offered with ten bursaries worth £1k each available to Cornish students.
I Am Digital has launched a new scheme designed to provide a digital and information technology education to students, while giving them the opportunity to work with some of the most groundbreaking companies in Cornwall’s growing tech community.
“This is an exciting partnership between Cornwall College and Software Cornwall which is designed to help young people enter the tech sector in a completely unique way,” said Dr Nathan Jeffery, head of Digital Academy.
“Nationally, the UK industry is growing 2.6 times faster than the rest of the economy and the top three challenges for employers are access to talent, funding and the poor transport links. This is where I Am Digital has stepped forward with an exciting solution.”
Different to most post-16 options, the two-year course not only qualifies students with a Level 3 extended diploma qualification in digital technologies, but also incorporates embedded work experience with industry professionals in Software Cornwall.
The course, which is an A-level equivalent, is taught at Camborne and St Austell, and provides an avenue into the ever-growing range of digital careers. Including learning CSS, Javascript, HTML, C and Java, together with a solid foundation in a wide range of knowledge and technical skills, the course is designed to lead into careers in anything from social media, e-commerce, gaming, building computers and local area networks.
The £1k bursary will be awarded to ten students who meet particular criteria and pass a chosen suite of additional learning activities.
Toby Parkins from Software Cornwall added, “From an industry perspective, we’re not just looking for the right qualification; being work-ready is aided hugely by actual work experience and exposure to industry networks processes.
“We’re delighted to have been recognised for the way in which we’ve been boosting the opportunities for local talent with clubs and projects for students to try their hands at, alongside our teacher training ‘Tecademy’ project.”
Software Cornwall is a not-for-profit community that connects, promotes, represents and supports Cornwall’s digital technology community. Counting companies such as Headforwards, Hertzian and Bluefruit Software among its members, the group is committed to nurturing local talent and supporting skills for business, including student membership, events, and a job directory.
