Derry FutureTech Festival hailed as great success

The FutureTech One Day Festival at the new Shantallow Community Centre on Friday last saw 12 schools, both secondary and primary, through the doors to witness the latest in digital and technology with Mayor, Sandra Duffy hailing it as a great success.

The Festival, hosted by the Greater Shantallow Area Partnership in conjunction with Derry and Strabane District Council’s ‘Learning Cities’ and the Outer North Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership was a digital and technology-focused event, exhibiting a wide range of future-proof careers and learning pathways in the sector with the intention of attracting and inspiring the young innovators of tomorrow.

Running from 10.00am until 4.30pm, Friday’s event attracted a range of organisations and businesses from across the city and district, displaying and explaining everything in the digital and technology field and had content creators, such as Dog Ears Productions, creators of Nickelodeon’s global animation phenomenon ‘Puffin Rock’, multi-national tech companies like Seagate and Allstate, tech providers (e.g. Nerve Centre) educational institutions (e.g. NWRC, UU) and the Manchester United foundation, showcasing their work on Tech in Sport.

There was also an array of interactive exhibitions, demonstrations and workshops on the day, showcasing cutting edge technology and career opportunities in fields as diverse as gaming, tv/radio, production; DJing/music production; coding; virtual/augmented reality; digital comic book creation; robotics/AI; animation; cybersecurity; film and digital content creation.
Just some of the schools involved included St. Columb’s College, St. Brigid’s College, Thornhill College, Greenhaw PS, St. Therese’s PS, St. Paul’s PS, Steelstown PS, and St. Brigid’s PS.

Congratulating everyone involved and impressed with all the showcases on display, Mayor Sandra Duffy said: "Today’s FutureTech Festival was a great success and an ideal opportunity for young people to learn more about the many exciting and rewarding careers that exist locally in the digital and technology sector.

"I know the exhibiting companies also appreciated the opportunity to showcase the work they are doing within the sector and to connect with their employees of the future.

"Well done to The Greater Shantallow Area Partnership and the Outer North NRP who worked with Council to bring together a diverse range of exhibitors who really brought their services to life with the interactive nature of their displays."

Adding his voice to the plaudits and success of Friday’s event, Chris McDonagh, Greater Shantallow Area Partnership said: ‘Today’s Festival was a great success. The number of students and young people through the doors was fantastic to see.

Pupils from St. Therese’s PS, Lenamore taking part in one of the experiments

"We just hope they gained something from the event on the basis of so many local companies and organisations so willing to give of their time to attract what will be their future employees and innovators of tomorrow.

Darren Kirby from ONNP thanked Derry City and Strabane District Council for funding the event, GSAP for organising and Shantallow Community Centre for hosting the event. The learning from the event will hopefully give young people greater insight and inspiration in their future career choices. We hope to build on the success of the event in future years.

Gerry McMonagle, Vice Principal, St. Brigid’s College said he was delighted students from the college were able to attend Friday’s event, adding: "On behalf of our school, I would like to thank all the organisations who participated in the festival, in raising awareness of career opportunities in the digital and technology sector.

Mayor Duffy pictured with facilitators at Friday’s FutureTech Festival. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

"A big thank you too to the staff at GSAP and our local council in putting on such an event.

"And what a fantastic centre with superb facilities we have not got at Shantallow Community Centre, one more than capable of putting on events of this calibre.