Leeds City College

Last month, Printworks Campus’ Digital & IT students concluded their IBM internships, with team presentations delivered to senior members of staff from IBM, IBM partners and Leeds City College.

The internships took place as part of their P-TECH (Pathways to Technology) course, whereby students were exposed to various aspects of working in the field of technology.

They have helped in the development and implementation of strategies in areas such as cybersecurity, environmental governance and digital marketing.

The presentations, which took place at various locations across the city, gave the students an opportunity to demonstrate what they had learnt and celebrate their achievements throughout the process.

Each team delivered an extensive project summary and conclusion that was followed by a lengthy Q&A session on the theme presented.

The students presented to exceptional standards and received high praise and acclaim from all staff involved. Lola, from Ahead Partnerships said that the students she worked with were the very best she had mentored on their internships.

Cheryl Smith, Principal at Printworks Campus, said: “The students have produced some fantastic work. It is hugely important that we give our students the opportunity to develop the digital skills they will need to excel and meet economic demand.

“The School of Digital and IT is extremely proud to offer employment-led, technical courses like the P-TECH, that encourage students to apply these skills to practical scenarios, in order to prepare them for the future.”

Andrea Cowans, Director of Student Life at Luminate Education Group, added, “I was fortunate enough to be able to see some of the presentations.

“The students showed an impressive degree of professionalism and motivation when describing their experience. They have gained many valuable skills, and throughout the process have been a credit to themselves and the department.”

Pioneers of P-TECH

In September 2019, Leeds became the first UK city to adopt the P-TECH school model.

The P-TECH qualification offers students the opportunity to develop skills and competencies that will translate directly to competitive careers.

The internships offer students the chance to apply their skills in the real world, as well as the opportunity to engage and work with world-renowned tech giant IBM, and partners including;

Salesforce
KPMG
Leeds City Council
NHS Digital
Ahead Partnership

With many of the P-TECH interns also completing technical qualifications, such as apprenticeships or T Levels, the scheme has provided a valuable resource for students who want to tailor their education for future employment.

The students who took completed the internship had lots of positive things to say:

Daisy – “I thoroughly enjoyed using the Immersive Labs and exploring areas of cyber and cybersecurity.”

Goncalo – “I’ve learnt so much. I feel as though I have developed as a person, and I can’t thank the team at IBM enough for this opportunity.”

Investing in the future

Raj Sritharan, IBM P-TECH Leeds Industry Programme Manager, was very impressed with the efforts of all the interns and is looking forward to working with Leeds City College students going forward.

He said, “IBM has partnered with the college and will continue to provide more internships and opportunities in the coming years.

“We will also continue to support the 14+ Apprenticeship Academy and the School of Digital and IT with skills workshops and mentor events.”