National campaign launched to encourage students to pursue digital careers
The new digital economy

National campaign launched to encourage students to pursue digital careers

15 Dec 2011

A national online campaign has been launched, with the backing of major IT companies, to encourage second-level students to pursue careers in the burgeoning digital media space.

Smart Futures is a new national careers campaign for second-level students in Ireland, launched by ICT Ireland, the Irish Software Association and STEPS to Engineering. Discover Science and Engineering is also supporting the initiative. Microsoft, Ericsson, SAP, HP and Cisco are some of the firms supporting the digital drive, as well.

The ultimate aim is to highlight how the technology sector offers bright and interesting future career opportunities for youths on the island of Ireland.

Smart Futures has also launched a competition for students to create digital projects, such as apps, animations and games.

Students will also have the option of gleaning work experience with technology companies in Ireland, such as the Xbox Games Studio.

For the competition itself, the students can choose from eight digital categories:

  1. Animation
  2. Audio
  3. Game
  4. Mobile app
  5. Podcast
  6. Tech article
  7. Video
  8. Website

The best digital ideas will vie to win prizes, such as laptops, the Xbox Kinect, iPads, home cinemas and smartphones.

And the deadline? Students have until Friday, 27 January 2012 to submit their entries.

Smart Futures is also launching an online careers fair to show secondary school students a qualification in technology can be a gateway to an exciting career. On 23 January 2012, a week-long careers fair will take place on the website

Carmel Doyle
By Carmel Doyle

Carmel Doyle was a long-time reporter with Silicon Republic. She reported on clean tech, innovation and start-ups, covering everything from renewable energy to electric vehicles, the smart grid, nanotech, space exploration, university spin-outs and technology transfer.

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