Here’s a dashing Prezzi show about the art of networking – ideal for students planning their careers. More tools and support from Goldsmiths Careers Service include podcasts, presentations and information sheets on:
Here’s a three month, full time opportunity for a Goldsmiths BSc Computer Science or BA Design student/graduate. The internship will start in late May/early June.
Innovare Design is a retail design consultancy based in SE London. A Goldsmiths MA Innovation student is working on a project which will drive new opportunities and growth for both the firm and its client base. This project will focus on the creation of a knowledge hub and a new communication plan to drive new business, as well as to develop existing clients. The hub will ensure the company raises its profile and sustains an advantage in a competitive industry. The project is due to be delivered by September 2014.
This internship is a fantastic opportunity for a Design or Computer Science student to contribute to the project by shaping the project’s digital products, from design, prototyping to delivery. The intern will influence and shape the following four areas:
Salary
£1,000 per month. This internship is co-funded through the Santander Universities Internship programme.
About you
You must:
Any related practical work experience is highly desirable but not essential.
Apply
* Innovare Design‘s WordPress site was built last year by Steel London – a reputable and award winning strategic digital design consultancy. The content has not yet been uploaded so the site is not yet ‘live’. Steel London control access to the site, though we have the source code for input of images and copy.
This job advert was first posted on the Goldsmiths’ placements and internments webpage.
Maritime City is an innovative game-based training tool, currently used to train healthcare professionals. A new development area has begun for the project, looking into training caregivers who look after people with dementia.
To realise the extensive vision of this exciting new direction, the University of Greenwich is seeking a games programmer. The successful candidate should be passionate about games design and development and possess excellent skills in coding games as well as other skills in the areas of games design and development.
£30,728 plus £3,370 LWA
Maritime City walkthrough. Features very strong language.
by Dr Kate Devlin, Department of Computing
Dear ________,
Welcome to the world of computing! I hope it is all that you hoped. It may not be quite what you expected.
As you will no doubt already know, women are under-represented in computer science: that includes industry as well as academia. By taking this step you are helping to change things. As women, we consume technology. We use mobile phones, laptops, tablets, mp3 players. We are a voice on social media, we are comfortable and familiar with apps. We take digital photos, we upload videos and our writing is online. We are consumers. We can also be innovators.
You may have a few concerns about how you fit into a degree and a career in computing. When Belinda Parmar, founder of Little Miss Geek, went to talk to a class of 14 year old boys and girls about the tech industry, she asked them to draw a picture of someone in the IT industry. Most, inevitably, drew a stereotypical, overweight, geeky looking person with glasses. Every single member of that class, both boys and girls, drew a man.
Take it from me, though – that’s not really how it is. Sure, some of those types of people exist but most are‚ well‚ normal. The men I have encountered in my time as a computer science academic and a programmer have, pretty much overwhelmingly, been supportive and encouraging (there are a few exceptions, but then there are assholes in all walks of life). The problem is not, the men‚ per se. The problem is the biased set-up. The problem is the social expectation. The problem is the lack of opportunity. The problem is the stereotyping.
Women have a valuable role to play. If you’ve ever been told that there are few great women computer scientists, consider that it could be because only a few women have ever been given the chance. Since we were children, the opinions of others have influenced – subtly or unsubtly – how we dress, act, behave and work. Even if we actively shun these opinions we are still susceptible to the unrelenting messages so implicit in society about what our role should be. We learn, as girls, what we are supposed to like. We learn that if we digress from this stereotype then we face problems, not least that we will have to battle to be accepted.
I hope that it is not like this for you. I hope that the degree programme you’ve joined breaks those stereotypes and gives you exactly the same chances and opportunities that your male colleagues have. That is what we aim for as educators.
Women are behind the greatest inventions in computing: programming, compilers, wifi. Women are taking lead roles in massive tech companies – Sheryl Sandberg, chief of Facebook, and Marissa Mayer of Yahoo! to name two prominent figures. There is a long way still to go but by starting your career in computing you are already making a change. We can offer support: here at Goldsmiths we have a Women in Computing network, we offer bursaries, and we have a wide and varied intake from all walks of life who each bring their own valued perspective. Computing is a subject with wonderful opportunities. From programming to web design, from wearable technologies to gaming, and from robots to music, computing opens so many doors to the career of your choice.
You can shape the field of computing. You don’t have to listen to the stereotypes or stick with the tried and tested. Think about what you want from technology ‚ and then go out and make it.
Dr Kate Devlin
Department of Computing
First published on Goldsmiths Academics
You may be considering applying for a Computing degree, be about to submit that all-important UCAS application, or already be studying. Whatever your situation, it’s likely you’ve thought about what you want to do after your degree. How will your course help you in your future? What sort of job could you get? What sort of job do you want to do?
To most people, a course in Computing probably leads on to ‘something in IT’. But what could that ‘something’ be? The truth is there are huge range of jobs open to Computing graduates. Just think about the skills you will gain from a Computing degree, such as:
A huge range of employers will be interested in these skills. e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology, works on behalf of employers to develop software, internet, computer gaming, IT services and business change expertise. Their figures show that more than 1.5 million people are employed in these industries, and they estimate that employment in the IT industry will grow at 2.19% per year – nearly five times faster than the UK average.
So what types of jobs do graduates from Goldsmiths go on to do? We know a bit about this because all graduates are surveyed six months after they finish their course. You can see below what some Goldsmiths Computing graduates (from undergraduate courses in 2012) were doing at this time:
An important thing to remember is that most employers are interested in three things when recruiting graduates:
1. A good academic record
2. Evidence of your skills
3. Evidence of a strong interest in the job
Most students are aiming to do well academically, that’s why they’re at university after all! However, it’s also really important show evidence of skills and motivation. You can do this by taking part in a range of activities that will give you evidence of valuable skills such as teamwork, communication, organising and leading. To show your motivation for the sector you will also need to research job roles and organisations and to undertake relevant work experience. This might sound like a lot to do on top of degree-level study. But don’t worry, help is at hand for Goldsmiths students! The Careers Service supports students in thinking about and planning for their futures. You can chat to someone one-to-one, undertake workshops on careers topics, and meet employers who come on to campus. We also work closely with the Department of Computing to support students who are taking part in the work placement scheme, as well as running workshops specific to the sector.
So, start planning for your future now. There are a huge range of options out there, and it takes preparation and planning to find the right one for you. And remember, most importantly, that help is at hand!
Helen Kempster
Careers Consultant
Goldsmiths Careers Service
By Limahl Macfarlane, Advice Service Co-ordinator, Goldsmiths Students’ Union
The New Wave Festival is a ten day arts programme which challenges London’s most creative minds and artists to produce and present collaborative, audience-engaging work in public spaces in just fifty days. 
It seemed fitting that GSU should take a group of enthusiastic Goldsmiths students from across disciplines, to a work shop at Swiss Cottage library on 3D printing, which was part of the festivals series. It was led by a company called 3Dscanbot.com who had a variety of art installations, a resident artist painting attendees and a 3D printer with equipment scanning participants. Once scanned students’ images were uploaded to a computer screen where they got to view their 3D image. In addition, they got to see a stripped back 3D printer in action, and were able to observe the mechanics of the machine as it created a sculpture, while questioning the technician.
The future is here. And all you need is a clever printer and you can make a sculpture of yourself or anything else for that matter.
Photographs courtesy of GSU
If you are from the People’s Republic of China why not come and study Computing in our Department. See here for more information.