A cutting-edge new digital space at our Printworks campus

Our Digital and IT students can now take part in regular ‘hackathons’ – thanks to a new digital lab sponsored by aql.

The aql Innovation Academy was opened at our Printworks campus by the CEO of the Leeds-based telecommunications firm, Professor Adam Beaumont. He also used the occasion to announce plans for a further £100,000 investment to create a 5G innovation lab network at the college over the coming year.

The company has been working with us over the past two years to run hackathons, which allow Digital and IT students to tackle problems on isolated networks that mirror real-world systems.

The new room, which has been kitted out with computers, servers and sensors, has been set up to make this process smooth and – using AI – partially automated.

A ‘fantastic resource’ to help talent grow

Declaring the facility officially open, Prof Beaumont (who is a former college governor) said: “I’m buzzing with pride!

“This all came about from a conversation I had 15 years ago about how we could work closer with the college and grow the talent in the city to work with our business.

“This is the crystallisation of that idea.”

Printworks Campus Principal Lee Pryor said: “This fantastic room is a great resource for our students.

“I’ve seen a lot of labs like this and this one is the best so far, it’s great aql is sponsoring it.”

The fruits of a great partnership

The college’s partnership with aql has been overseen by our Deputy Head of Apprenticeships and Commercial, Cheryl Macfarlane.

Executive Principal Bill Jones, who also attended the opening, said he was delighted to see this result in ‘a cutting-edge digital space for students to learn and create’.

He added: “Our partnerships remain central to everything we do, and our consolidated relationship with aql is something we’d like to replicate across our colleges and group.”