Pupils in year 10 took part in an App Development workshop today (2nd February). This programme has been designed to encourage Key Stage 3 students to consider a career in Software Development. The programme has been developed in response to the current skills shortage in the IT sector and more specifically in Software Development. During the course of the workshop students had the opportunity to develop their own Mobile Applications and download them onto Tablets. Using the App Development program called AppInventor allowed students to develop expertise in designing their own software and the skill of problem-solving on a structured basis.

The session started with a presentation about IT and Software Development and was followed by a demonstration of the App Development Software. Students worked in groups of two and were provided with a laptop and a tablet to allow them to develop their apps. Students had resources which allowed them to develop a number of different app scenarios and give them some free rein to make changes to their apps. Once again, the practical nature of the workshop provided a powerful insight into the process of App Development and may inspire the students to consider a career in the area.