Students show “app-titude”

A MEETING of minds has helped Warrington students develop their ideas for the next great app.
Priestley College invited Andy Jones – who this year launched a children’s game app – and Manchester-based digital company Igniso to work with students on their apps.
Andy, from Stockton Heath, said: “It was good to share my thoughts on how to develop a successful app and to hear what the students had to say about their ideas.
“They seem to have worked really hard and I hope they took something from their chats with me.”
Earlier this year Andy launched an app based on the adventures of Blast Off Bob – a spaceman who is sucked into a black hole and thrown into a strange galaxy.
He followed a similar process to that being explored by Priestley’s students who started to come up with ideas last September as part of the Apps for Good competition.
Since then they have had expert help from around the world via Skype and narrowed down those ideas with the most potential.
Now Igniso have also shared their expertise with the IT students and helped them to develop business models.
Among the apps being developed by Priestley students is one that combines a users’ social media streams to create one identity, another that helps young people to search for casual jobs and one that helps them search for the right university.
“The Apps for Good programme has allowed us to bring our BTEC course right up to date,” said tutor Tom Heaton.
“If these students go on to work in the IT industry there’s a strong chance they will be developing or working with apps so it is great to have on their CV.”
Picture: Andy Jones chats to students