Latest news from FE Week

A media student who taught himself computer programming was “shocked” when technology giant Sony wanted to turn his game into a franchise.

Liam Cozens, 17, who studies BTec media production at Canterbury College, spent a year putting together his 3D downloadable game Robots: Extreme Wars Live.

His game was inspired by the TV show Robot Wars, which ended in 2004 and where contestants pitted homemade robots against each other in an arena full of hazards.

Robots: Extreme Wars Live allows players to relive the game this, battling robots of different shapes and sizes in a variety of arenas.

Liam said: “Funnily enough, I’m not much of a gamer but I did watch the Robot Wars TV show when it was on and played some of the spin-off games. I decided to see if I could make a better version myself and that was how I got started.”

When the game was finished, Liam approached the website for Roaming Robots, a touring spin-off of the TV series.

The website producers had wanted to develop a game for years, and were impressed by Liam’s version.

The game was launched for PCs and Macs in October and has proved popular, but Liam never imagined this was only the beginning.

Much to his surprise, Sony contacted him to say they were interested in developing the game for other platforms, meaning Liam could see his game being played on Sony’s multi-million selling console, PlayStation or the PSP handheld device.

He said: “I was shocked when Sony got in touch. When I was making the game I thought it might make a minor impact and then
fade away.”

Sony has also asked him to continue developing the game, creating extra levels which can then be downloaded by players.

The interest from Sony was surprising for Liam as he’s never done anything like this before. In order to create the game, Liam first had to teach himself how to write computer programmes from scratch, using books and internet tutorials.

“Just learning the basics of programming took me two months,” he said.

Following the success of his first game, he is now considering specialising in game development as part of his BTec.

Zoran Tesic, head of Canterbury College’s media department, said: “This is excellent and we are very proud of Liam’s achievement. He is currently studying a creative diploma and is thinking about specialising in games development next year.

“We are excited to work with such a gifted and motivated student and that we are able to help him progress in his education and push his games development skills and career even further.”

Visit www.roamingrobots.co.uk to find out more about Robots: Extreme Wars Live.

Musically-minded Midland students met the boss of UK adult learning when she dropped by to see college developments first hand.

Kim Thorneywork, Skills Funding Agency interim chief executive, visited West Nottinghamshire College to see how work was progressing on a £24m revamp, including a state-of-the-art centre for creative arts and digital technologies called Create.

She also spoke to students, staff and governors at several college sites across Mansfield and Ashfield.

Ms Thorneywork said: “I’m incredibly impressed by the progress the college has made in refurbishing and rebuilding its estate.

“West Notts College has a very clear vision for its future. It’s got a clear focus on what it is doing for local employment and its communities and is absolutely driving forward on these agendas.”

The college’s Kirkby-in-Ashfield-based construction academy came in for special praise, described by Ms Thorneywork as having “a real buzz”.

She added: “There are many young people learning excellent skills there and I was very impressed.”

Principal Asha Khemka OBE said: “It was an honour to show Kim how we’re investing in new buildings and high-quality facilities to enhance the learning experience.”

An award-winning young London stylist has been given the chance to show she’s a cut above the rest by passing on her skills to younger students.

Croydon College hairdressing and beauty therapy student Hannah-Corrine Patterson, 19 and from Brockley, was chosen to run workshops for Year 11 youngsters at Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls, in Surrey, after winning a college award for commitment to learning.

The five-week program of hairdressing-related learning activities was designed to engage younger students with vocational training, as well as allowing Hannah-Corinne to gain teaching skills.

She said: “When I first started I was very nervous, but over the weeks I built up my confidence and I now don’t want it to end.

“The pupils have really come a long way and I am very pleased to have had this opportunity.”

Young musicians and producers were all ears when top music industry experts gave talks as part of a two-day networking event at a London college.

MTV music editor Lindsay Wesker, Choice FM DJ Dave VJ and world music artist Najma Akhtar spoke to music and media students at Kensington and Chelsea College about the changing face of music, their own careers and how to get ahead in the industry.

Lindsay told students they needed a strong knowledge of music, its history and how record companies worked and to make sure as artists they were offering something different.

Meanwhile Akhtar urged them to broaden their horizons by exposing themselves to music from different cultures.

Paul Hall, the college’s head of music and media, said: “It is a real privilege to have such well-known and respected names from the industry take time out to meet the next generation of talent.

“Our students not only had the opportunity to network with our influential guests, but also gained the kind of advice you just can’t put a price on.”

A Midland student bucked the trend by becoming the first at her college to put on a fashion week.

Chloe Adcock, a business student at Walsall College, came up with the idea after staging a few smaller fashion shows for a local clothes store. She teamed up with fellow student Dermot McNamara and the pair successfully hosted a six-day charity event featuring catwalk shows, style advice, hair and beauty demonstrations and an exhibition of vintage fashion, plus celebrity guest appearances.

Chloe, who has also set up her own modelling agency, said: “I eventually want to go into event management and this is a great way of getting work experience.

“I also realised that there has never been an event like this in Walsall so thought it would be a great way to bring the community together and showcase the talent of young local designers.”

Fashion students from the college styled models backstage and showed visitors how to customise clothes while funds were raised for a different charity each day including Acorns Children’s Hospice and Action for Children.

Performing arts students were literally dancing in the aisles at a Midland ice hockey match after being asked to provide the interval entertainment.

Students from City College Coventry, which sponsored the match between local outfit Coventry Blaze and the Hull Stingrays, provided live entertainment for the evening.

Music students warmed up the crowd in the bar before the match and student Lauren McAuley sang the national anthem to mark the 5.15pm face-off.

And dance students performed a specially-choreographed routine in the stands at half time, while tutors braved the ice to take part in a fun relay.

Adrian Middup, course organiser for the level three extended diploma in music, said: “Teaming up with Coventry Blaze gave us the chance to offer exciting opportunities to students on a range of courses and it was great to see each individual grab them with both hands.

“They learned a lot on the evening and we can now build on it in class.”

One silver and three bronzes added up to success for a team of brainboxes taking part in a prestigious competition held by the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT).

Macclesfield College AS Level maths students took part in the UKMT senior challenge, where competitors had 90 minutes to answer 25 multiple choice questions under exam conditions.

Gold prizes were awarded to the top 10
per cent of entrants, while the next 20 per cent achieve silver and the next 30 per cent gain bronze.

Of the five students from Macclesfield College in the competition, one was awarded silver and three were awarded bronze.

Macclesfield College maths lecturer David Mayers said: “This is the first time the college has entered the competition and I’m really proud of all our participating students who performed exceptionally well.”

The UKMT is a charity that aims to advance the education of children and
young people in maths and its competitions are the largest in the UK with 600,000 students taking part.

A former steakhouse has been transformed into a gallery space for young artists to display their raw talent and most well done pieces.

Art and design students from Havering College of Further and Higher Education, in Essex, have adapted the empty Outback Steakhouse in The Brewery Shopping Centre, Romford, to house an exhibition examining the theme Sense of Place.

Students were encouraged to explore their feelings about Romford and to use things which used to be in the restaurant to create their work.

The Outback Art House will display work by the students as well as by local artists, and will be installed, curated and marketed by the students.

Grace Thomas, 18, from Chadwell Heath, said: “It was strange to think we were creating art in a former restaurant, but it made you think about how venues can make a difference to how people view your work.”

The project is run by the college and the Romford Contemporary Arts Programme, a Havering Council initiative to promote contemporary artists, and will run until Saturday, February 16.

A young volleyball star received a national award for his dedication to helping others get the most out of the sport.

Kieran Good, 17 and from Cliffe Woods, near Gillingham, was named sports maker of the month and won £50-worth of sports equipment after completing 10 hours of voluntary sports coaching in the community.

Kieran, who studies sport and exercise sciences at MidKent College, is a member of the South East England under-18 volleyball squad and won the award for coaching the under-17s and refereeing local league games.

He said: “I’m really pleased to have been recognised for my volunteering.

“I like to think I’ve helped improve the ability of new and existing volleyball players and given them the chance to play sport competitively.”

The Sport Makers organisation aims to encourage volunteering.

Its Kent representative, Stuart Butler, said: “The overall aim is to get at least 40,000 young people committing 10 hours or more to volunteer in sports or other physical activities.

“Kieran has done fantastically well and we hope this recognition encourages others to follow in his footsteps.”