Month: August 2017

JT is official Technology Partner for a world-class triathlon event being held in Jersey next month. 50 of the world’s leading triathletes, including 25 Olympians will compete for the Super League Triathlon crown.

50 of the world’s leading male and female triathletes, including 25 Olympians from around the world, will compete in Jersey, British Isles, for the Super League Triathlon crown on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 September.

The line-up will include the UK’s Jonny Brownlee, Mario Mola Diaz from Spain, South Africa’s Richard Murray, three-time Olympian Flora Duffy from Bermuda, and Jersey’s own Dan Halksworth. The two days of intense competition will be televised and streamed around the globe.

JT is providing technical support, mobile communications and super-fast internet access to the broadcast team and race organisers. JT has pedigree in this area: two years ago, the company was Technology Partner to the successful 2015 Island Games in Jersey, providing the technology to make the Games the most connected in its history.

Graeme Millar, Chief Executive Officer of JT, said: “A world-class event needs worldclass infrastructure, which JT is well placed to provide. Because of our investment in our mobile and fibre networks, a significant sporting roadshow like the Super League Triathlon can arrive in the Island and broadcast to millions of people with relative ease.

“The St Helier Waterfront is a perfect backdrop for this weekend of intense competition and I’m sure the whole Island will get behind it. I’m pleased that JT can play its part in showcasing Jersey to the world.”

Super League Triathlon founder Micheal D’Hulst said: “One of the reasons why Jersey is a perfect venue for this action-packed event is not only because of its striking beauty but also because of its fantastic infrastructure. From an outsider’s perspective, it’s incredible to think that such a small island can have mobile and broadband networks that put much larger jursdictions to shame. JT’s can-do attitude has been invaluable and has given us huge confidence in the Island. We’re already planning on coming back.”

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JT has been working in partnership with Start-up Guernsey and the Digital Greenhouse along with six other leading companies within Guernsey to offer the first Discover Digital student internships this summer in Guernsey.

We met Olivia Strachan, JT’s Digital Intern to find out how she’s finding the internship so far and why digital skills are so important for the future.

What made you apply for the digital internship?
The summer between GCSE’s and A Levels is fairly significant and I wanted to fill this transitional period with a unique experience; something that would allow me to gain additional skills and practice in the working world. The discover digital internship seemed the perfect opportunity, given my passion for digital and my future education and career plans.

Why JT?
I was extremely pleased to be chosen by JT. They’re an innovative technology based company, which I knew lots about given their Channel Island roots. I was already familiar with their products and style and the project I was given would build on my knowledge and also allow me to learn new skills in what is a very interesting sector.

What project are you working on and what have you done so far?
I’m now over half way through a website review project with the aim of simplifying the content and user journey to enhance the customer experience.
Once completed, I would have managed a new website restructure from start to finish which is quite exciting.
So far I have conducted a full audit of the current site and mapped out a structure. I have also redesigned all the product icons, sourced some new images and tried my hand at business and product copywriting. I’ve also attended a WordPress training course and began to build and rearrange the new site in a testing environment. I’m really looking forward to seeing the final result.

What skills have you learned that you will take forward with you into you future career?
This experience has been invaluable to me so far. Not only has it helped me learn vital digital skills, such as how to work with WordPress and sitemaps, but it has taught me important life skills such as good communication and working as part of a team. These skills will be even more necessary to my future career as they are not profession specific.

What do you think digital skills are so important in today’s world?
I think it is essential to have digital skills no matter what I do as more and more industries are going in that direction. In a decade or so it will be impossible to do any job without digital skills and this is why it is increasingly important to develop a foundation for these skills today. Technology is already an integral part of our lives and without the skills to handle it you will end up a step behind.

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National Coding Week is delighted to announce two new ambassadors for this year’s annual event: Edward Jewell, Chief Librarian for the Jersey Library and Lucy Witham, Education Development Officer for Learning Technology in Guernsey.

Last year, Jonathan Channing, founder of local firm Cobra Coding and Head of UK Events for National Coding Week, took on the role as ambassador for both Jersey and Guernsey. But with the growth and popularity of the digital education event, it was decided to appoint an ambassador in each Island who will be raising awareness of the importance of coding and responsible for the promotion of the Week’s worth of digital events.

Founded in the Channel Islands in 2014, participation at the JT sponsored National Coding Week has steadily grown and to date over 8,000 people have attended sessions held in the Channel Islands, UK, USA, Australia and beyond. The Week will feature a series of events run with different focuses including; technological advances in the digital sector, career development, an introduction to coding and educational courses aimed at various ages.

The Jersey Library was chosen as the Jersey ambassador this year in recognition of its innovative approach to digital education, wishing to be at the forefront technological advances and regarded as a hub of learning.

Edward Jewell, Chief Librarian, said: “Libraries have always sought to support learning, for us the message has always been more important than the medium. The goal is to advance knowledge, inspire lifelong learning and enrich culture. We want to use National Coding Week as an opportunity to show that the Barclays Eagle Lab digital innovations are all part of a library’s learning ethos. Whether it’s programming an animatronic dinosaur or coding a Raspberry Pi to predict tide-times, we want to connect with people who have the skills and ideas that will engage new audiences with coding and digital skills.”

Lucy Witham was chosen as the Guernsey National Coding Week Ambassador as she was pivotal in organising last year’s diary of events.

Lucy Witham, Education Development Officer for Learning Technology, said: “National Coding Week is an excellent opportunity to channel Guernsey efforts towards growing the digital skills in the Island. This year our main focus is to empower parents and grandparents to support their children’s digital development, in particular, coding. I am also hoping to create a Women in Tech group to empower women looking to get into the digital sector.”

The Digital Greenhouse will be hosting a series of Parent and Grandparent Coding ‘crash course’ sessions, sponsored by Barclays, throughout National Coding Week.

Tamara O’Brien, JT’s Head of Marketing, Brand and Distribution, said: “It is great to see National Coding Week go from strength to strength in the Channel Islands and the role of these Ambassadors is key in helping ensure islanders and businesses alike can get the most out of everything the week has to offer. We look forward to working with the Jersey Library and Lucy in Guernsey to support and champion the events. JT is keen to endorse the development of digital skills wherever it can and National Coding Week is an excellent opportunity for people of all ages to enhance their coding ability. We cannot wait to see the full line up of events for this year.”

Jonathan Channing said: “Digital is the age we live in and if we don’t teach people the foundations then we leave ourselves open to the threat of cyber attack and artificial intelligence challenging our jobs. I am so glad to have the Jersey Library and Lucy on board to support us in progressing National Coding Week.”

Find out more about the week’s events by CLICKING HERE

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The fourth annual National Coding Week (NCW), organised by Codex and sponsored by JT, will begin on 18 September and it promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Events will be held across the Channel Islands, including free “learn to code” sessions where members of the public can find out how websites are built, gain digital skills training, and attend cyber-security talks on how to keep safe online.

An online digital skills course, in association with JT, will also return. The free course was successfully launched last year and is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to write computer code.

New for 2017 is the National Coding Week Rising Star Programme. Headteachers and Principals of schools and colleges can nominate up to five Rising Stars. These will be students who have
excellent digital skills and who share their passion by helping to organise events and teach others these essential key skills.

NCW was devised in the Channel Islands but its popularity has grown. Since it was created in 2014, over 8,000 people have attended sessions in the UK, USA, Australia and beyond.
NCW founder Richard Rolfe said: “With 50 days to go, it is time for Islanders to make a note in their calendars and prepare to learn some relevant and potentially life-changing skills. NCW has grown
rapidly in the past four years and the national and international interest has been overwhelming with some big players in the technology sector getting involved, including Sky Bet, Cisco and Barclays. It
goes to show that adults, as well as children, want the opportunity to learn digital skills”.

“This year we would also like to encourage more Channel Island businesses to take part by organising talks and taster sessions at their offices or at their local library, hub or school. Please
make contact and let us know what you are planning.

“I would like to thank our sponsor JT because without their support NCW couldn’t take place. I am also grateful to partner Barclays for their Digital Eagles-supported events in Jersey and Guernsey
and to Jonathan Channing from Cobra Coding, who is spending many hours coordinating the events.

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