Inspiring a digital generation

Zone developer Ollie Philpott paid a visit to Wren Academy school to take part in BIMA D-Day…

Last Wednesday front-end developer Alex Coady and I packed our satchels and headed back to school to take part in the nationwide BIMA D-Day, at Wren Academy in north London.

The event was designed to give students the opportunity to get involved in the digital industry, so we kicked off with an introductory talk explaining agency life at Zone – showing off some of our finest work and sharing the paths we took to reach our current jobs. The kids were then split into teams for a series of digital challenges.

The inherent digital lifestyle of this generation was reflected both in their technical knowledge and the creative ideas they came up with to tackle the challenges. I was particularly impressed by the independent ideas suggested during the initial research phase, such as a 3D food printer – technology that is actually being developed.

Like me, the children were eager to dive into implementing their solutions, and my highlight of the day was the final two-hour burst of activity where they brought their ideas to life. 

One team knocked together an impressive set of prototype designs for an all-in-one school mobile app, which would surely be perfect for the students of the 21st century. An instinctive understanding of mobile interface and user requirements showed me that technology is second nature to children growing up in this digital age. Another team planned and produced a Gangnam Style spoof video, which displayed a real understanding for harnessing the power of pop culture and current trends to produce entertaining content people will want to share.

Judging by the work-experience requests we've subsequently received, the event was successful in inspiring the students to consider a career in digital. I hope BIMA make this an annual event, so we can take part next year.