A west Yorkshire college is on a mission to help create the technology workforce of the future as it embraces the opportunities to bring students and businesses together with Bradford Tech Week.

This event aims to get students to think about exciting careers in technology, which Bradford College believes is key to the post-Covid world.

Bradford Tech Week was due to be held as a live event but will now be taking place remotely with an interactive programme of online activities running from Monday 19 October.

Asa Gordon, Assistant Principal Further Education, says: “At Bradford College, we’re all about transforming lives for students. Tech skills are for everyone, now more than ever.

“Tech Week will enable us to identify careers and opportunities for students, meet local employers  and improve the technical skills of students.

“At the end of the week, our students will have a broader understanding of the industry, and what opportunities are available. Employers will be able to talk about what skills are needed to be successful in the industry and potential careers”.

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Bradford College is among local education providers supporting Bradford Tech Week, a partnership between Bradford Means Business, the T&A, LOCALiQ, and tech experts, EXA networks. The innovative workshops, challenges and virtual tours will be available to colleges, schools, students, teachers and parents.

Asa said: “We also want employers to see the work that we are doing with our students to prepare them for working in technology. As a college we are constantly looking to engage employers to understand what skills and qualifications they think our students need to be successful.

Businesses can influence our curriculum so that we can create the future workforce for Bradford”.

Asa also believes that the college has a responsibility to increase aspirations and be able to demonstrate what is available to young people. He said: “They will be the next generation of employees and we want to spark their imagination by showing achievable pathways.

“Bradford is a young city with a number of significant developments taking place to retain and attract people to the area, which is only increased by careers being available in the tech industry.

It is a key growing sector within the region and we need to prepare our young people to be part of it. We want to inspire them to aim high; to be able to envisage a fulfilling career and earnings potential”.

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Bradford College delivers qualifications from seven locations in the city and is using a number of different models to deliver courses in a safe way. There is a mixture of core sessions delivered online, alongside classroom and workshop sessions carried out with appropriate social distancing regulations.

Asa said: “While we would love to have all the students back in college, we are managing to provide online activities in all of our programmes as well as continuing to engage students in pastoral and enrichment activities.

“The college has adapted quickly to the current challenges being faced, with staff working with students to deliver an engaging curriculum that will support achievement and progression.  It has been great to see staff embrace the challenges and continue to provide high quality education that transforms our students lives”.

www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk

Bradford College, Great Horton Road, Bradford, BD7 1AY

Tel: 01274 088088

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