Leeds City College

Digital and IT students got the chance to compete for five Amazon vouchers and IBM SWAG as part of the Open P-TECH event at college.

This event is run by one of the world’s leading technology giants, IBM, in a bid to equip students with the skills needed to excel within 21st century digital careers.

Raj Sritharan, who works as a P-TECH Industry Program Manager at IBM, gave a guest appearance at the event to inspire students to participate in the digital competition, gaining as many Open P-TECH badges as possible to improve their employability and CV skills.

“This event is part of our New Collar Jobs initiative, where IBM makes investments and partners with governments, educational institutions and businesses, in order to equip the global workforce for roles that require technical skills.

“Open P-TECH brings best-of-breed digital professional learning to students and educators, curated and designed for their age and level of knowledge. It’s a great starting point for students to develop an interest in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers.”

IT Level 3 student, Kyle Collins, contributed 62 hours of work and bagged first place, winning a £100 Amazon voucher.

“I can really see how the event benefits people; it’s easy to learn by the way the information is clearly presented, especially by having a quiz after each topic. The CV skills badge was extremely useful, allowing me to make impactful adjustments which I think will help me get noticed in future job opportunities.”

Thomas Boughton won a £15 Amazon voucher for coming fourth in the event.

“The event was really intuitive and engaging; the knowledge and skills I learnt will help me in interviews for apprenticeships. I also learnt a great deal about job roles that I’m interested in.”

Muhammed Sibtain contributed 15 hours’ worth of work and gained two IBM badges: Cybersecurity Fundamentals and Professional Skills.

“P-TECH is a great opportunity to gain professional digital skills. I’ve gained vital knowledge, such as how to handle meetings, gain confidence, prepare for big tasks and cyber security. You can add these badges to your CV, which will really help you stand out in UCAS and job applications.”

IT students, Wesley Nichols and Enoch Essandoh, also took home prizes for the badge competition.

Take a look at the range of Digital and IT courses here.