We recently renewed our partnership with the Digital Greenhouse for a second year to deliver the Digital Innovators Programme. And as part of that programme, we put some Computer Science students from Guernsey College of Further Education through their paces in a bid to encourage young people to engage with digital technologies.  
 
We asked the students to come up with a solution to a local skills challenge: “Guernsey is a small community of talented professionals, but it is not easy to find suitable people for specific jobs.”
 
John Davison, Chief Information Officer at First Central Group, said: “The Digital Innovators Programme is designed to develop the skills required for our evolving digital economy. Career opportunities in technology and creative sectors are more exciting than ever before.
 
“It’s essential for young people to have a space where they can develop digital skills on-island and this session was a great way to get students thinking about how technology can play a role in solving real-world problems.”
 
Participants discussed a range of solutions including virtual reality work experience and a ‘dream team’ app where businesses could consider applicants based on the skills their team is currently missing or short of. 
 
Lucy Kirby, Head of Digital at the Digital Greenhouse, said: “This scheme not only teaches students some important digital skills through hands-on learning, it also provides the students with the soft skills they will need in the workplace.”
 
The students will now prepare to present their solutions to a team of our employees on Thursday 19 December.