JCC’s IT Industry Day w/ Microsoft and The Development Manager Ltd.

Recently, Joseph Chamberlain College hosted a unique learning opportunity for its BTEC IT students, welcoming Philip Fumey and Philip Hatch from Microsoft, as well as Rizwan Khan and Tommy McDonnell from The Development Manager, to the college to assist and inspire these students further during their Industry Day.

These incredible representatives discussed careers in the field and taught the college’s students about the importance of branding; this included how to develop a business’s personality and identity through its branding. To do this, they were given a task: utilise Microsoft Designer and draw on the ever-expanding world of AI to help create stunning graphics for a type of store that they chose themselves.

With support from Microsoft and The Development Manager, Joseph Chamberlain College’s students produced creative graphics for their chosen store’s logo and also developed business cards, Instagram posts/stories, and Facebook adverts/stories.

Upon completing their designs, the students confidently presented their innovative ideas to the employers in a concise pitch. The employers were thoroughly impressed and inspired by the students’ creativity and professionalism.

This task not only helped inspire the college’s students but also allowed them to explore a career they may not have considered while developing various skills such as problem-solving, time management, communication, teamwork, and invaluable technical skills in graphic design, marketing and social media.

One of the students involved in the day, Abrar, said: “The session was really beneficial to me. I was hoping to get more of an insight into AI and careers in the field, and today has provided me with that. I discovered more things to go into AI, such as finance or marketing — all of the things that make AI work.”

Another student stated, “It shows you how much work goes into the development of graphics. It’s not something that can be done in a day.” A third added, “I felt excited and inspired. I’ve gained a bigger insight into the world of IT.”

Joseph Chamberlain College would like to thank all of its exceptional staff and students involved in the day, as well as the outstanding representatives from Microsoft and The Development Manager, who supported their students through the task and imparted valuable knowledge about careers they can pursue.