Zizo offers students experience with real world IT problems via partnership with the School of Computing, University of Buckingham

Zizo (@zizo_db), a leading provider of big data and edge analytics, and the School of Computing at the University of Buckingham (@UniOfBuckingham), are advancing students’ education by solving real world IT problems through its ongoing industrial partnership.

Complementing the traditional classroom-based learning, the partnership between Zizo and the School of Computing provides students with an opportunity to work on issues continuing to affect the technology industry in the field of big data processing, optimisation and visualisation – guided by both academic and industrial experts. Research and development on AI-based systems is then put into practice throughout these students’ big data analytics projects. 

The partnership also continues to support apprentice-based learning and career development, as at the University of Buckingham, it has various apprenticeship programmes available, including the MSc Applied Data Science and MSc Applied Data Science Degree Apprenticeship programmes – which Zizo have contributed to over the past two years. 

National Apprenticeship Week takes place between the 7th and 13th of February 2022, aiming to encourage young people to consider the career pathways and opportunities available to them. Particularly in the technology industry, students have traditionally steered away from STEM subjects, and have been harder for children and young people to access, particularly among girls and students from disadvantaged backgrounds. But new research by UCAS has found that since 2011, there has been an unprecedented growth in students opting to take on science and technology subjects.

Dr Tom Longshaw, Director of Research and Development, and Mr Matthew Napleton, Sales and Marketing Director of Zizo have worked on two workshops across these programme modules that explore innovative software and platforms for supporting data science related tasks and big data processing. Zizo’s team discussed approaches and methods to solve real world big data challenges, alongside case studies and practical demonstrations of data engineering and data analysis, enabling the School of Computing to transfer its research knowledge into practical use. 

Dr Alaa AlZoubi and Mr Hongbo Du, Project Supervisors, highlighted:

“Zizo’s active involvement provides us with the real-life problems for research and at the same time opportunities for our students to know what is like working in an IT company before they graduate, an added advantage they get from study in Buckingham”. 

Zizo has already employed two recent graduates from the School of Computing as data analysts to deliver Zizo’s strategic goals of developing cutting edge solutions for analysing large volumes of commercial, logistics and retail industry data. In recent alumni home-coming events, both students expressed their appreciation towards Zizo’ role in building up their practical knowledge and skills and mentoring them so well in their early days in the IT industry sector.

Peter Ruffley, CEO, Zizo, commented:

“At Zizo, we believe that it is incredibly important to give young people access and support to the right opportunities in order to enter the technology industry. We are proud to be working alongside the School of Computing at the University of Buckingham to provide their students with our expert insight over the course of their learning. These students are the future of IT, and we are happy to be investing in them and helping them gain future-boosting skills and experience for their future careers.”   

Dr Harin Sellahewa, Dean of Computing at Buckingham, concluded:

“Our industry partnerships, such as the successful one with Zizo, provide unique opportunities for students to benefit from experiential learning and secure employment immediately after they graduate from Buckingham”.