Chipping in to the high-tech IT world
Pupils given insight into life at tech company
Two computer whizz kids spent part of the October break seeing how a real-life IT company operates after winning an innovative competition run by Perth-based IT support company m3 Networks.
Sixth year pupils Kier Alexander (17) from Perth High and Jonah Ramponi (17) from Kinross High School were first and second respectively in the challenge organised the Inveralmondbased tech firm.
Runners-up also came from Perth High, with fifth year pupil Keiran O’Sullivan (15) placed third, while sixth year pupils Andrew Coburn (17) and Ben Irvine (16) came joint forth.
Masterminded by m3 Network’s technical director Mark Lamb, students throughout Perth and Kinross From left, principal Perth High computing teacher Matthew Mackie, Andrew Coburn, Keir Alexander, m3 Network technical director Mark Lamb, Ben Irvine and Kieran O’Sullivan
secondary schools were asked to produce an IT project plan.
First prize was a one-week work placement with m3 Networks during the October 2017 school holidays and a £200 Amazon voucher, and the second prize was three days’
work experience plus a £150 Amazon voucher.
Mark said: “m3 Networks wanted to give something back to the local community by running a competition which got students thinking about how IT is used in businesses.
“We were delighted by the success of the competition and are now looking at running monthly workshops aimed at young people looking for careers in the tech industry.
“The plan is to get students into our offices to give them an overview of the different areas of IT and technology and to help them to better understand the options out there.
“Fifth and sixth year is a key time for students and we want to give them some prior knowledge and experience before they sign up for university or college courses.
“For the students who have spent some time with us this week, they have had their eyes opened to this in a big way and it seems to have had the desired effect.”
Matthew Mackie, principal teacher of computing at Perth High, added: “I’d like to thank m3 Networks for organising this competition which has given our students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of computer programming and business IT support.
“It is more important than ever for young people to understand the basics of programming and the power technology can have in transforming the world.”