FIVE ace computing students from the Kilwinning Campus at Ayrshire College have apprenticeships with a top UK bank.

The talented group have secured a slot on Barclays Apprenticeship Programme in Glasgow.

The apprenticeship helps people gain a university level qualification, while at the same time, building a professional career at Barclays, one of the largest banks in the UK.

The students have beaten off stiff competition with applicants from all over the UK.

They will now work on a four-year apprenticeship which ensures that as well as working for Barclays, the students will be studying BSc Honours degree at Glasgow University from Autumn.

The students worked in partnership with Barclays during a ‘Team Working’ unit, where Barclay’s Project Managers acted as the client for the students.

The task involved building a computer game that could be used as an icebreaker for global teams who couldn’t meet face to face.

Gaming student Jordan Scott was one of the first students to present a game.

Jordan said “I knew this was an opportunity I wanted to go for.

“It was my ambition to get a software development degree and be able to work at the same time, so when I got offered the apprenticeship, I was over the moon.

“Everything I have worked for at college has finally become a reality.”

Lynsey O’Connor, Business and Computing Lecturer said “The Barclays team were so impressed with what our students had

built that they started actively looking for ways to strengthen links between them and the Computing department at Ayrshire College.

“It’s a fantastic outcome that the students have this opportunity of the apprenticeship programme, and I’m delighted for them.”