Young people in local secondary schools have a chance to demonstrate their computing skills, in a competition for schools and youth groups supported by WMG and Computer Science at the University of Warwick.

Categories in the Challenge IT 2014 event included web design, mobile phone app development, digital animation and robotic applications.

Spearheading the idea was the Coventry branch of the British Computer Society, supported by a range of sponsors including the IET, IBM, OCR, TTS and Capgemini. Several WMG staff took part. Margaret Low is part of the BCS Coventry team that ran the competition, Claire White and Peter Ward from WMG both judged entries.

The event was also attended by the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Gary Crookes, who took part in the judging and awarded prizes to pupils.

The aim is to encourage interest in IT and help pupils develop awareness of good practice and a range of skills including team working and project planning, and to promote links between local schools, industry and higher education.

Margaret Low, Principal Teaching Fellow at WMG, said:

The competition provides a focus for young people to work together and show their creative and innovative applications. In order that students can learn from each other we round off the competition with an exhibition and prize-giving ceremony where there is a real buzz.”

Finalists in the 2014 event were: President Kennedy School, Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College, Saint Martin’s School, Sherbourne Fields School, Corley School, Sidney Stringer Academy, Caludon Castle School, Loughborough Grammar School, Leicester Grammar School and Quinton House School.