University News Last updated 01 July 2019
Associate Professor Stephen Murphy and Senior Lecturer in Computer Games Programming Carlo Harvey launched Curzon software house, Curso, last week within the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment (CEBE).
Curso aims to provide CEBE students with useful micro placements over the summer to provide a taster of what it would be like to work in a software company, as well as widening their skill set, strengthening their portfolios and boosting their employability at the end of their degrees.
The software house offers students the opportunity to work on a number of software-based external projects with industry partners, such as Jaguar Land Rover as well as on internal BCU projects.
Computer Games Technology students Rhys Davis, Ashleigh Rowe and Jack Hunt are currently working on a two-week project for Jaguar Land Rover, creating a basic framework for a day and night weather environment.
Second-year Games Technology student Michael Wolf is working on an internal project with a three-week deadline for Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security Vitor Jesus, focusing on Virtual Reality (VR) visualisation of a network.
Stephen Murphy and Carlo Harvey received more than 100 applications to work at Curso and selected 40 students from across CEBE, with varied skill sets and who were willing to learn more on the different projects on offer.
Curso students also worked on the software house’s branding and its web development as part of their work experience.
The software house has been funded by the Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) until the beginning of September.
Carlo Harvey said: "The Curso initiative is designed to deliver real-world practical experience on live projects, with a focus on embodying the tenets of software houses. Experience is gained across a range of development methodologies which facilitates delivery of software and gamified solutions to research, enterprise and pedagogical streams. This exposure creates a demonstrable step-change in outcomes and worker portfolios."
Pictured: Second-year Games Technology student Michael Wolf.