Leeds City College

Some of our Digital and IT students have taken part in everything from robotics coding to podcasting during an unforgettable trip to New Zealand.

Three lucky Level 3 learners – Chris Botty, Coburn Staniland and Tashinga Rushwaya – enjoyed the activities-packed two week stay in Auckland, funded by the Turing Scheme, earlier this year.

Teaming up with Manurewa High School, the trio participated in P-TECH (Pathways in Technology) classes, where they learned more about laser cutting and 3D printing.

They also visited two of the country’s prominent podcasting studios, Podlab and Campfire Studios, to look around their facilities, find out more about the process and talk to the production teams.

Confidence-building experiences

Chris enjoyed laser cutting his own name during his sessions at the high school, and also relished his time at Campfire Studios. He said: “At Campfire we were greeted by the people who do the podcast and went to one of the podcast rooms to interview each other.

“I asked different questions, like: what do you want to do in the future? It was an interesting experience and it helped improve my confidence and communication skills.”

Tashinga said: “We learned the fundamentals of podcasting, including techniques to keep a conversation engaging.

“This session was more independent, allowing us to explore topics of our choice; I chose to speak about German cars and their limited presence in New Zealand.”

The students further increased their knowledge of podcasting during their visit to Podlab, where they inspected its state-of-the-art studios and talked to the professionals who help creators make their shows.

Controlling robots

Programming and robots were the order of the day, meanwhile, when they attended the P-TECH launch at Ara Auckland Airport Jobs and Skills Hub.

Tashinga said: “During the event we explored robotics programming; learning how to code robots so they can follow specific commands and execute tasks at the right time.”

The students also had time to look around New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes and discover more about its history and traditions.

Unlocking fresh perspectives

Coburn, reflecting on how the trip had given them all a fresh perspective, said: “During my placement in New Zealand I was able to explore different opportunities for my future and see how the opportunities over there vary from the ones in the UK.

“I was also able to explore the beautiful country and its amazing culture. Truly a once in a lifetime experience.”