'Careering Round the City' - year 9 students test smartphone app as they explore Brighton's digital media sector

On Thursday 5 February 2015, year 9 students from Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) and Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA) explored Brighton’s digital media, creative and cultural sector at ‘Careering Round the City’. The event is run by Art at Work, a programme funded by Arts Council England and delivered in partnership between Photoworks, Lighthouse and the Aldridge Foundation.

During the event students worked in small groups to test a new smartphone app developed by SCRAMBOO, a Hove based company. The groups followed one of twenty unique routes around the centre of Brighton stopping at various locations to interview professionals, take part in workshops and track way markers. Each activity was linked to a range of questions that the groups worked together to answer. This interactive scavenger hunt saw students dancing at Marina Studios, programming robots with Curiosity Hub at Lighthouse, filming with Latest TV and interviewing the Director of Same Sky. The companies involved offered their time and experience for free to ensure students received a broad insight into digital media and the talent in their city. The experience also gave students a flavour for the Brighton Digital Media Academy (BDMA), which is being launched at BACA and PACA in September 2015. BDMA offers students ages 14-19 the opportunity to work with industry professionals from Brighton’s digital media sector on live project briefs as they obtain academic qualifications.

Principal Davies is thrilled with this opportunity for the students, “Brighton is a hotbed for digital and creative talent and we want our young people to have a greater understanding about the potential employment opportunities provided by this sector. Our students can feel disconnected from the vibrant and plentiful creative and cultural treasures which make up the city centre, and whilst both BACA and PACA pride themselves on being entrepreneurial, innovative days like this enable students to experience their city in a completely different way.”

Participating companies include; Arcobaleno Media, Arthropod Arts, Boxbird Studios, Brighton Museum, Brighton Youth Centre, Curiosity Hub, Dab Apps, Fabrica, Jubilee Library, Lighthouse, Marina Studios, ONCA, Photoworks, Same Sky, The Dome, The Werks and Tin Dogs Fine Art.