Joining a society can be a great way to make new friends, learn new skills and fully engross yourself in all that BCU has to offer. The all new student-led Tech Guild society is open to all students who want to learn more about technology, and develop their technical skills. We caught up with the society leaders to find out more about what they have in store.
What is the Tech Guild society?
BCU Tech Guild is a new, student-led society at BCU. The society has been set up to support all students who want to learn more about technology and develop technical skills.
Who created the society and why?
Sid, who is currently on his placement year, formed this society. Having completed his first and second years of university and having been awarded as ‘Student Mentor of the year,’ Sid is well-aware on the importance of peer learning and support for students. Sid is currently on a placement year, and has learned the versatility and importance of understanding the basics of web development and version control.
Sid decided to create BCU Tech Guild so that students could develop their technical skills whilst receiving peer support. Sid reached out to Mihai, Shriya, Natasja and Andreea, who supported him in building the society.
Who are the current members/organisers of this society?
The society’s committee is formed of Computer Science undergraduates Sid, Mihai, Shriya and Natasja, and PhD student Andreea. We’re all motivated students, continuously learning new skills and seeking opportunities. Andreea’s expertise and knowledge has been significant in getting us where we are today and what we’ll go on to do. Amongst us all we hold a vast range of technical skills, as well as an understanding on the importance of peer learning and student engagement.
What is the purpose of the society?
The purpose of this society is to provide all students at BCU with the opportunity to learn and develop technical skills. We are aware of the importance of technology in any field or career, and therefore want to ensure every student has the opportunity to develop technical skills that can make them more employable.
How do you help other students? And what types of students?
We are providing students with opportunities to develop their skills through bootcamps, hackathons and social events. As a society committee we have a diverse range of skills amongst us, and so can support students in various ways. We’re very open to students reaching out to us if they need any sort of academic advice or guidance. BCU Tech Guild is open to all students, regardless of their tech experience/knowledge, course, or year of study.
How can you become a member?
To become a member, students need to visit the following site where they can purchase membership (it’s only £3 for the whole year!) and complete the form below.
Sign up here: https://www.bcusu.com/organisation/bcutechguild/
Form: https://forms.office.com/r/WPcWfsXipm
Is there anything you do to support prospective students?
As a society we are aiming to reach out and support prospective students. We hope to reach out to prospective students through open days, application days and follow-up emails, so that we can host events tailored for prospective students. We also are hoping to host larger events that are open to external students/individuals to build up the tech community in Birmingham.
How many hours a week do you spend doing work for the society?
The hours per week that the society committee spend on society work does vary, as we’re all current students with deadlines and personal commitments. However, we do catch-up every week to make sure that the society is making progress in terms of opportunities, events and student engagement.
What is the most exciting thing you have done in the society/what are you most looking forward to?
So far, the society has been supporting first year students on the Innovation module. We have been running bootcamp sessions to equip the first years with knowledge and skills in Git, HTML, CSS and JavaScript. We believe these skills are going to be essential in the development and presentation of their projects for the final Innovation Fest exhibition, but also in industry.
Looking forward, we hope to get involved in many events such as Birmingham Open Hack. Birmingham Open Hack is a hackathon consisting of sessions with industry professionals and sponsored challenges, being founded by Sid himself.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in joining the society?
To anyone interested in joining the society, we would advise you to sign up today! We have a lot of valuable and exciting opportunities planned ahead, and they are not something you want to miss out on. If there is anything you want to ask, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Also for anyone interested in the society, check out our socials!
Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bcu-tech-guild
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCUTechGuild
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bcutechguild/
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