North Hertfordshire College’s Level 3 Computing, Networking & Design students recently had an amazing opportunity to contribute towards the development of a new technology solution, thanks to a work experience project with Mobility2You.
Mobility2You Founder and CEO, Alpesh Shah, launched the project through an on-campus session with our students which explored the company’s history and introduced the project they would be working on. Using their logical thinking and programming skills, our eSports and Level 3 students were tasked with coming up with an information-gathering tool to slot into Mobility2You’s risk assessment software to be deployed via pharmacies.
Our students were split into two teams, each made of three groups which were assigned to one of three focus areas.
By capturing data about a person’s home environment, their medications and general health, and their lifestyle and general mobility, the students were able to build a technical tool which will model the overall risk faced by a person.
Each group researched their topic to build a better understanding of health risks, including visiting the College’s mock ward and independent living facilities. They also had the chance to speak with Health & Social Care tutors and students to validate their research. Each group then designed questions which could gather data from the end user about their specific focus area, before meeting up with their counterpart group in the other team to compare notes and refine and validate their thinking and questions.
The model questionnaire that our students have created is 25 minutes long, covering a range of key topics to better understand an individual’s health and mobility needs. It will soon be incorporated into Mobility2You’s intelligence-based assessment system with an aim to deploying it in over 200 pharmacies across the country to identify risks of falls and accidents. The questionnaire results will help end users prepare their homes by choosing mobility and independent living solutions that can reduce risks.
We’re delighted to share that our students will be included in the credits to recognise their hard work in the development of this system, too.
Reflecting on the project, Level 3 Digital student Max commented: “Work experience with Mobility2You has given me an understanding of work environments and business processes. I also enjoyed the teamwork and consider it to be a valuable skill.
This was a great opportunity for our learners to think outside the box when it comes to IT and digital technology careers, showing how their skills can have a positive impact on peoples’ lives. The project has also supported our students to learn more about the impact of mobility issues and ageing, which they can apply to future work to create an accessible user experience.
Alpesh is pleased with how well the project was received by our students and the positive work they’ve created. He told us: “All students have an inner wish to make a difference, to do something, but they just don’t know what that need is. Until they’re given that chance, they can’t find it – you need someone to give you a spark.
“Working with the North Hertfordshire College students reminded me of when I was young, having all the ambition in the world but just needing a catalyst. They were really flying on this project, even by the second day, and I’m pleased to have given them a practical learning opportunity. It’s so important to come in and give students real life experience.”
We’re incredibly grateful to Alpesh and Mobility2You for providing our learners with this amazing opportunity to make a real impact with their work.
Are you interested in starting your own software coding journey? Check out North Hertfordshire College’s Computing, Networking & Design pathways to take the next step in your education journey! With NHC, you can stay close to home and build network connections to help you go far in your future career.