Staff Spotlight: Jenny Bean, Programme Director for Computing

Jenny Bean is our Programme Director for Computing.

She ensures that students experience a curriculum that is industry relevant, engaging and designed to help them become the best they can be in all things digital.

We caught up with her in‑between classes to learn more about the department, what students can achieve and what opportunities await them throughout their studies.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

“I am the Programme Director for Computing and I ensure the department helps you become the best you can be in all things digital.

“I really love the software side of things, so if you see me in the classroom,it will typically be doing things like programming, systems analysis and design. I also enjoy project management and am happy to help with this where I can.”

What type of projects are students involved in on a day-to-day basis?

“We do a range of different projects, so a typical piece of coursework would be to design and develop a database, or it might be an app or a website, and then you would test it.

“On our units, students are given a brief and then have to work towards that. Sometimes it’s on an individual basis, sometimes it’s as a group.

“Other lecturers in the department specialise more in hardware, which includes computer networking, encryption and taking apart computers.

“We also teach databases and website development, which means there’s a different range of specialities within our department to suit you.”

How do you ensure that your department’s curriculum remains up to date and relevant to industry trends?

“We have really good contacts with our employers, so we like to meet up with them on a regular basis, find out what’s happening in the industry, and then try and incorporate that into our curriculum.

“It’s something I’m very passionate about building into our programmes.”

What is a standout opportunity that an EKC Canterbury College Computing student can expect?

“One of my favourite moments is the Digdata ‘Next Steps’ Challenge, which we run in collaboration with Digdata themselves. They come in and set the students unique tasks, where they work in different teams and get given employer set briefs.

“Previously, the winning teams got invited up to a company called CACI up in London for a tour and they were able to present their ideas to the company.

“One learner from that even got offered a work placement too, so that event is a really cool thing.

“It works really well because it’s not just working with our local community but also getting that employer engagement too.”

How do you support students in their next steps?

“In terms of support, we offer lots of different workshops here at the College that can help when you look for progression opportunities.

“This might include soft skills like writing a CV or doing mock interviews. Throughout the year, we have employers who come in and give advice as well.

“We also run UCAS workshops, where you’ll learn how to write personal statements. There’s also visits out to local universities too, so a nice range of different things for anyone to explore their next steps.”

What does student progression look like for Computing?

“I would say our typical progression route is university. Lots of our students’ progress to local universities, University of Kent for example, in addition to those who go further afield. I’ve even had a student go as far as Queen’s University Belfast.

“We’ve also have students who go on to apprenticeships. Some get offered apprenticeships from their work experience. It’s nice to see students have a good opportunity in their workplace where their employers have been so impressed.

“I’m particularly proud of one student who’s got an apprenticeship with BAE Systems in Rochester and that’s a degree apprenticeship that they are going on to, so I’m very happy about that.

“Some students are even going to set up their own businesses, so that’s been a nice thing to see as well. With Computing, there’s so many opportunities you can take advantage of.”

Thank you to Jenny for speaking with us.  

If you’re interested in taking your next steps into the digital world, explore our Computing and Digital courses today.