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Students from Langley Academy visited KPMG for their World of Work Day on the Rising Futures Programme. This is a day designed to inspire and inform the students on our programme about what the future could hold for them. So what did our students get up too?
After a briefing in the school canteen we walked to Langley station to catch a train to Paddington and then the underground to Canary Wharf. For some students this was their first experience on the tube!
KPMG greeted us and gave each student their own named visitor badge. We then went up to a meeting room where we met Siriji, a KPMG Employee, who told us about project design. Siriji used the analogy of a cake and how you put it together using Analysis (which type of cake would you like to make and what ingredients do you use), Design (what should it look and taste like), Development (making it), Implement (cooking it) and Evaluate (eating it!).
Siriji also explained that people used to have training face to face (in a classroom) and that with technology training was moving to eLearning (online) and into bite size portions that people could pick up as and when they had the time. This makes it much easier to use as it can be completed anywhere, as long as there is an internet connection.
They then played a game with the students where they showed them app product screenshots and the students had to guess the provider e.g. Deliveroo. This showed how apps are now being used for games, job applications and experiences.
Giseller, an employee at KPMG then talked through the stages of creating a digital experience and explained that at KPMG there were eight types of technology role. Half of KPMG focuses on audit and accountancy and the other half focus on technology development – creating a digital experience / solution for clients. This came as a surprise to some students who thought KPMG was only an accountancy firm!
They then talked us through a storyboard for the story of Aladdin and described how to put this together – having one main character, a location, a problem, ideas to solve the problem, allies & helpers and then a resolution of the problem. Each team of students were then given an issue to storyboard and asked to come up with a solution using technology and to present this to the rest of the group.
One example was how you’d sell more bottled drinks and the students came up with the ability to design and print your own label. Another was how to raise the issue of climate change and the students came up with an idea of app that would ensure emotional investment by time lapsing your current environment into the future, showing the impact of climate change if nothing is done to address it. Giseller explained that this uses skills that apply in the real world at KPMG, including being put under time pressure to a good result!
Students finished by presenting their ideas back to the whole room. Seeing the students work so well in teams and present interesting ideas certainly impressed the KPMG employees.
The students were then split into groups with a lead from KPMG on design, coding and networking. The students seemed to especially enjoy the coding with Tobi, a software developer, where they coded a robot car to move along a track without it going off course. He emphasised the importance of trial and error, that there are unlimited possibilities and to keep going until you succeed. Students asked insightful questions to the KPMG employees and showed a real interest in their future careers. It was fantastic to see the students engaging confidently with the KPGM employees, and presenting themselves in a professional way.
After a quick lunch, we went up the Insight Centre where Jack showed us a futuristic looking, wall size touch screen. He played a film showing how KPMG have helped the NBA basketball plan their season to ensure efficient use of player travel time to maximise their ability and achievement. He also told us about some of the companies they work with a showed us the story path they map out and also talked about future technology, such as 4D printing. The students also enjoyed the views as we were quite high up.
Students gained so much from their trip to KPGM. Just being at Canary Wharf, seeing the towering business buildings and learning about all the action going on here was inspirational. Each of the KPMG employees engaged the students in different ways, showing all the possibilities available to them in the future. We'd like to say a very big thank you to the team at KPMG for putting on two World of Work trips for our Rising Futures Students.
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To find out more about how your students could get involved with the Yes Futures Programmes, please contact Sophie, Impact Manager: sophie@yesfutures.org, 07908 687779 or visit our website.
If you're interested in becoming a World of Work partner, please contact Helena, Head of Programmes: helena@yesfutures.org.
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