‘An experience like no other’: Kingswood pupils visit Apple HQ
OPPORTUNITY: Students from Kingswood Academy at Apple HQ in London, with Ollie Barnes from the Academies Enterprise Trust, left; Sally-Ann Harrison, the school’s careers lead, second left; and Jan Loft from The Edge Hub, right
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
Students from Kingswood Academy have enjoyed a trip of a lifetime to see behind the scenes of the UK headquarters of technology giant Apple.
They travelled to London to learn more about the company at its offices in the landmark former Battersea Power Station building.
The visit was facilitated by Antoniono Tombanane, chief executive of Hull-based digital training and up-skilling technology centre The Edge Hub.
Jan Loft, The Edge Hub’s corporate partnership manager, said: “We are all about giving young people opportunities that wouldn’t normally be as accessible to them to take up.
“In this case, we were able to give an experience like no other to some of the students of Kingswood Academy with an invite to Apple’s HQ in London.
“The students met different teams, learned what roles everyone plays in the Apple world, from making adverts to design and even got to visit the rooftop garden.
“The enrichment they gained during the trip will help shape their future and I’m sure some are already dreaming of working there one day.
“If we can help develop and empower our youth through engagement, training and leading the way, then we can all have a little hope for change through education.”
During the visit, the students also met staff from Apple’s Beats team in a speed networking session to learn more about the brand’s famous headphones, speakers and accessories.
Jan added: “Every business in Hull has an opportunity to help its community in some way and many do a great job.
“I see that here on a daily basis with our own members who use our workspace, so I get to see a lot of amazing things people do,
“We are lucky enough to have such a forward-thinking CEO like Antonio, a management team and community investors who are passionate about doing things like this for our young people.
“I would also like to thank Apple, Ollie Barnes from the Academies Enterprise Trust and Kingswood Academy's career lead Sally-Ann Harrison for making this possible.”