On Wednesday 15th March, students from schools across Scotland will travel to Edinburgh’s Quincentenary Conference Centre to participate in the first ever Scottish event organised by Apps for Good, which will celebrate the future generation of digital makers.

This inaugural Scottish event has been made possible after being awarded a grant from Digital Xtra, funded by the Scottish Government Digital Skills Business Excellence Partnership, who have provided Apps for Good with support to help us grow our after-school activities in Scotland.

Phil Worms says, “Digital Xtra is delighted to be able to support the first Apps for Good event to be held in Scotland. It is a fantastic initiative that focuses our young people’s minds on becoming creators rather than consumers of technology and better prepares them for their future whatever career path they might take. Young Scottish students who have this creative capacity coupled with
technical ability will become the next generation of entrepreneurs and are therefore vital to Scotland’s long term economic success.”

The event will bring together some of Scotland’s brightest young digital makers and entrepreneurs under one roof in the heart of Edinburgh’s city centre for a day of networking and skill development workshops. The teams of young people have been working to create apps to tackle the problems and issues that matter most to them. At the event, the students will be showcasing their products, participating in workshops to hone their skills and getting feedback from top industry experts in Scotland.

Representatives from Scottish technology companies have volunteered to deliver four master-class workshops to attendees. Jamie Sutherland from Mallzee will speak about the importance of getting feedback from customers. Carole Logan from digital agency Equator will show the young entrepreneurs how to build digital prototypes. Katie Lyne from CivTech will share real world examples of product development and creation, including the triumphs and failures. Phil Worms from Digital Xtra will speak about putting together a perfect pitch.

These workshops mean the young people will get a great insight into what it takes to make it in tech in Scotland from those already working in the industry.

The invited industry guests have been chosen to reflect the diversity of Scotland’s burgeoning and dynamic tech community, and students will have the opportunity to pitch their app idea and gain advice and feedback from the invited guests during the Marketplace part of the event. The event will culminate with the invited guests casting their vote in our People’s Choice Awards which will recognise the top three teams.

Apps for Good’s journey in Scotland began back in 2012/13 when its app development course was delivered in 5 centres including, Wick High School, Wick (Highlands); Calderglen High School, East Kilbride (Glasgow); and, Fife College, Kirkcaldy (Fife). In the years that followed, Apps for Good is proud to say that it has gone from strength to strength in Scotland. During the 2015/16 academic year 133 schools and learning centres delivered our app development course across Scotland.

Heather Picov, the Apps for Good UK Managing Director says “We are delighted and proud to be hosting this event in partnership with Digital Xtra, established by the Scottish Government Digital Skills Business Excellence Partnership to celebrate the next generation of Scotland’s tech entrepreneurs. Since our launch in Scotland in 2012, we have seen schools and students here go from strength to strength with the quality and creativity of their product ideas and the depth of their digital skills, supported by a thriving technology community. We know the future of tech isn’t just in
London or San Francisco, but in Edinburgh, Fife and Wick – and places like them all over Scotland, and this event will help showcase that potential to the nation.”

About Apps for Good
Apps for Good aims to unlock the confidence and talent of the next generation of problem solvers and digital makers: young people who are ready to tackle the 21st century workplace and are inspired to create real technology products that can change their world for good. Since launching in 2010/11 Apps for Good has been delivered in over 1,500 schools to more than 75,000 students. Apps for Good is a registered charity and is supported by partnerships with companies and foundations who share their vision of improving technology education. Corporate partners include technology leaders Thomson Reuters, Salesforce.org, Nominet Trust and Samsung to name but a few.