At Loom, we’re passionate about digital. We share our passion with each other, our clients, even our friends and family – often to their bewilderment. But students and the next generation of digital talent – not so much. BIMA’s annual Digital Day was a fantastic opportunity to put this straight.
The Digital Day involves pairing industry professionals – Loom’s Tom and Vicky – with secondary schools and colleges to raise the awareness of the amazing opportunities for young people in digital. Tom and Vicky were partnered with John Cabot Academy in Bristol, and a class that were studying a Creative & Media Diploma delivered by the team from boomsatsuma.
On the day, we talked about what it’s like to work for a digital agency, what goes on in the Loom office, what we wear to work (always a common question), and the different routes you can take into a career in our industry. We both shared the different career paths and experiences that we had taken to end up as a part of the digital industry. The resources provided by BIMA gave further insight into the variety, diversity and buzz that a digital career can bring.
The morning also featured a productive session brainstorming the wide variety of technology that falls under the ‘digital’ umbrella as well as the emerging tech that is disrupting the industry. The students were aware just how many areas of their lives digital played a role.
The rest of the day was spent tackling client briefs in small groups, set by the likes of LV and the Diana Award. The briefs were looking for various digital products or services, spanning wearable tech to devices to improve the future of education or solve bullying, or even make pet insurance more social.
It took a while to get the ideas flowing, but soon enough the students were coming up with innovative uses of tech to solve big problems. Some of the ideas were fantastic, tackling head-on the challenges faced by society.
One team developed the concept of wearable tech that helped prevent dementia and loneliness in older people by setting mental puzzles using AI. Another team came up with a Bluetooth earpiece for the blind and partially sighted that provided them with relevant information about their surroundings, such as accurate directions, Trip Advisor restaurant reviews, and transport timetables.
The final group imagined a class room of the future where supply teachers could access vital information directly from wearable devices worn by students. The technology ensured that the quality of teaching wasn’t impacted by a teacher being away from the school.
“It was fantastic to listen to the students chat and debate about the role of digital technology. I was surprised at how empathetic they were and how they were driven to use digital tech to overcome very real issues.” Tom, Head of Content & SEO
The day ended with each student group pitching their idea to the rest of the group before voting for the classes favourite to be submitted to the national BIMA Digital Day competition.
It was great to see students excited by the possibilities of technology and realising how all-pervasive and powerful digital is. There was also an appreciation of the variety of roles available in the industry to suit all interests and skillsets.
We’re already looking forward to doing it all over again next year!
