Working with BCIT Computing students: three cool examples from local organizations

Solving business challenges for real clients is an essential educational component within BCIT Computing.

The Industry Sponsored Student Projects (ISSP) Program sees senior students work on various tech challenges directly for industry.

And ISSP is a win-win situation. The collaboration gives students real-life experiences, and it gives sponsors – for a small investment (free for non-profits) – a possible solution to their issue. It’s also a great recruitment tool, essentially an extended interview.

Students take on – locally and internationally – a broad spectrum of projects: web and mobile development, networking, games, AI, ML, or anything needing automation.

To get inspired, here are three recent projects.

YVR - Building a water monitoring system to collect and analyze water quality

This is a bigger project, covering multiple teams over a number of terms. Students are creating an innovative Internet of Things (IoT) water monitoring station to provide insight as part of the airport's need to address climate change and rising sea levels.

"The work we're doing with the students is a great example of the power of learning together to advance digital transformation in our community," says Linda Schucroft, Director Innovation, Vancouver Airport Authority.

ODEN - Aiming to standardize Open Data, a potential game changer

For the past 7 years, faculty D'Arcy Smith and his students have been working on ODEN - Open Data Developer Network, which attempts to standardize Open Data and offers new possibilities to developers, data scientists, cities, and anyone wanting to use accessible data.

"Our Computing students have played a vital role in ODEN's development. We allowed them considerable freedom to implement what they thought was best, encouraging true collaboration,” explains D’Arcy. “They frequently surprised us with new ideas or took our thoughts in directions we hadn't anticipated."

EduFunder – helping aspiring students raise money for their education

BCIT students often take on projects for non-profits, or is this case, small startups. Meet Nichola Lytle: founder of two tech start-ups for which she relied heavily on ISSP.

"To get an idea off the ground, you need to be able to test it out, prototype it and then use it to raise money. Students have such great ideas, and they're willing to take risks. They also have the most up-to-date skillset when it comes to technology and trends, so ISSP a valuable resource and a great opportunity."

So there you have it. Students love to take on projects from scratch but also often hone elements that are part of a larger pipeline, tackling and optimizing a specific component.

Inspired? If so, please submit your project before August 1 for a chance to start working with BCIT students in September. Or take your time and submit your project later, as BCIT Computing students also work on projects in winter and spring.