This year’s Future Creators programme has come to a close, with 22 graduates receiving certificates at a ceremony in NCAD.
The Digital Hub’s 2016 Future Creators has gone off with a bang, with the next wave of young digital entrepreneurs released into the wild.
11 girls and 11 boys from schools in Dublin took part in this year’s programme, which first took place after being established by The Digital Hub in 2011, and is delivered by NCAD and H2 Learning.
With members of the current troupe aged 13-to-16-years-old, they received dedicated classes on coding, app development, robotics, digital photography and filmmaking.
More than half the group said the course to had heavily impacted their choice of career path, with filmmaking (75pc) the most popular aspect on offer.
The work they created over the course of the year was on display at NCAD today (22 June), including three retro computer games that were presented in an arcade design showcase.
A short film produced by the students entitled The Bunker’, about a post-apocalyptic world taken over by zombies, was also screened at the ceremony.
Digital Hub to the fore
Gerry Macken, CEO of The Digital Hub, was “once again delighted” with the running of the event, and its impact of promoting digital media to children in the local area.
“We are very encouraged by the large number of students who participated in the programme who have indicated their intention to now pursue careers in digital media,” he said.
NCAD director Bernard Hanratty talks at the Future Creators ceremony
“The 22 young creatives have been immersed in digital media projects over the academic year,” said NCAD’s director, Bernard Hanratty, who was also “delighted to showcase” their collective achievements.
Delivering a keynote speech at the ceremony, 17-year-old digital entrepreneur – and all-round friend of Silicon Republic – Harry McCann, spoke of his experience in developing himself as an entrepreneur in Ireland.
Citing the reasons some entrepreneurs make it, while others don’t, McCann said it’s often down to how well they rise when they fall.
“Every day, hundreds of digital entrepreneurs take that leap of faith with what they think is the next big thing and many fall,” he said.
“However, those who decide to get up and continue jumping and falling, jumping and falling, are the ones who will eventually land on their two feet.”
Graduation image via Shutterstock
