Article by Telegraph & Argus
YEAR 10 students from two schools have visited Bradford College to take part in a problem-solving ‘hackathon’.
Pupils from Parkside School in Cullingworth and Dixons McMillan Academy on Trinity Road, Bradford, were set the theoretical challenge of how to solve a hacking on the International Space Station with just a limited list of tools available. After just 90 minutes, all the teams successfully defeated the hack.
The innovative event is the result of an ongoing partnership with Bradford District social enterprise, Future Transformation, an organisation which provides awareness, opportunities, events, programmes, and experiences for people who want to build careers in tech.
Future Transformation believes that armed with the right knowledge, links, and support, it is possible to ‘level up’ the Bradford district. Their aim is to close the equality divide, productivity gap, and work collaboratively to rebalance the economy.
Future Transformation, led by Founder and Director Tim Rogers, enables pathways to those opportunities for all residents of Bradford, along with attracting talent from other areas to build a life in the district. Working with a range of organisations like Bradford College, Future Transformation provides skills to unlock potential, transforming the future of work, communities, and individual lives.
The College hosted a similar cyber-security event with Future Transformation and the Ministry of Defence earlier this year. The event used a range of engaging activities to highlight the importance of coding and programming and educated students about how such skills are embedded in our everyday lives.
Another local initiative supporting young people is the Future Technologies Centre. The education, research and training framework is designed by Bradford College to prepare students to develop the skills and qualifications for careers in the industries for the future.
The college has joined forces with employers to develop a number of hubs for specific industries, including sustainable transport, sustainable construction and allied and medical health technology. It has been designed by Bradford College to support the growth of technology and low carbon skills capacity and capability within West Yorkshire.
As well as enabling students to access and train with the latest technology, the centre aims to future-proof jobs for young people in Bradford, create a greener future and inspire a new generation.
* To find out more go to bradfordcollege.ac.uk/future-technology-centre