Students Thomas Braybrooke-Tidy, Benjamin Davies, Scott Warren, Christian Thomas, Clark Wareing formed the digital team which won this year’s Digital & Creative Skills Competition, aged 16-18. The team is studying the T-level in Digital Software Development with career aspirations in Cyber Security, Platform Design and AI.
Hosted by Guildford College, the event challenged students to design purpose-driven tech under the theme “Digital for Good: Shaping Our Connected Future.” The winners impressed industry judges with innovative concepts around mental health support proving that the next generation of digital professionals is ready to tackle real-world issues with both technical skill and social action.
Students wanted to develop skills and behaviours around Web and Chat function design, Responding to feedback (first design critique and making changes) and Enterprising skills. Initially daunted by the public speaking element of the competition, our team found the internal semi-finals comforting and helpful which they say made the final judging panel less worrying which was evident in their confident delivery.
Students appreciated talking to the employer judging panel, discussing how they could work with Chillblast in the future and taking confidence in their T-level placements where they are currently working with professionals.
Learner voice: “I really enjoyed it, and actually found the speaking in front of people fine once we started. I was relieved by the end, but mainly because it went well and as we planned it. Obviously it went ok…because we won!”
Preparation was key with students receiving coaching support on the process of proposal, initial design, pitching to students and staff, being chosen for the final, and final amendments before presentation.
Teachers noticed learner growth through the experience noting, “The healthy competition in the classroom got some learners – who can be passive sometimes – excited and competitive. This made a healthy culture of wanting to succeed but also putting a lot of work in.”
