The University of Central England’s Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) has joined forces with Apple to help develop the local creative economy. Recently named IT Training Learning Facility of the Year by the Institute of IT Training (IITT), the TIC provides certified training in Apple’s professional applications, boosting students’ new media career prospects and delivering important new skills to the traditionally manufacturing-based West Midlands region.

Already the largest provider of higher education media technology courses in the area, the TIC’s recently-granted status as an Apple Authorised Training Centre for Education (AATCe) will improve its reputation as a source of expertise in Apple software skills and as a bridge between study and work.

The TIC integrates Apple training into existing media courses and runs discrete three and four day professional courses in Apple’s pro applications, including Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Students who successfully complete the courses are able to add Apple accredited qualifications to their CVs, in addition to their media diploma or degree.

“The Apple platform is widely recognised as the professional standard in creative industries”, says Steve Smith, whose Interactive Media team at TIC provide the training. “We want to give our students the best start in their careers, and support our local creative economy. We see those objectives as parallel”.

Nurturing creatives

The TIC began life as the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Computer Technology, then five years ago moved to a new building at Millennium Point in Birmingham. With better facilities for teaching media technology courses it was able to add undergraduate and postgraduate digital media-related degrees and professional programmes to its engineering and computer courses.

Its flagship media course is a BSc (Honours) degree in TV Technology and Production, Sound Production Technology, Music Technology and Multimedia Technology.

We have a big role to play in nurturing local creative opportunities, for the good of the regional economy and to ensure career paths for our new media students.

— Mike Wilkes, Associate Director at the TIC

The TIC vision is to develop ‘a young person from the point of learning to the point of employment’. Closely intertwined is its commitment to the health of the local economy through a strong creative sector.

“This area is famous for its manufacturing and automotive industries. The creative media sector is growing, but there are still few opportunities for media graduates and we have seen a migration of skills to the south and the north”, says Mike Wilkes, Associate Director at the TIC. “We have a big role to play in nurturing local creative opportunities, for the good of the regional economy and to ensure career paths for our new media students”.

One-stop shop

The TIC has a strong tradition of forging links with technology partners in developing its course content. The opportunity to become an AATCe was therefore quickly grasped by Mike and his team.

“We aim to be a one-stop shop in the key technologies, so partnering with Apple is very important to us and our students”, explains Mike Wilkes. “It wasn’t a difficult decision to make as we already teach pro applications here and at Birmingham and Solihull New Technology Institute (NTI), which is also part of the University. We are now, along with NTI, an Apple Authorised Training Centre (AATC) for local business as well as an AATCe for our students”.

The TIC team view the benefits of partnership as broadly based. Mike Wilkes says: “We have every confidence that we will develop a special relationship with Apple and gain privileged access, which is important in delivering quality education and training to our students”.