C5 bursary drives student towards career in technology

C5 Alliance has announced that Rufus Barnes will be the seventh student to benefit from its annual bursary scheme.

Following the A-level results announcement Mr Barnes, 18, will attend the University of York to study Computer Science and Maths in September. Mr Barnes attended the Guernsey Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre and studied A-Level Maths, Further Maths and Computer Science and wants to pursue a career in software development.

C5 Alliance has a strong history of investing in the future generation, with the number of applications for its bursary scheme growing year-on-year.

The scheme is for students applying for an undergraduate degree in a STEM (Science-based, Computer Science, Engineering or Mathematics) subject. It includes a six week paid placement, money towards the cost of studying at university and the opportunity to work alongside C5’s consultants and become part of the team at the Channel Island’s largest technology solutions provider.

Mr Barnes has been working alongside other bursary students, an intern from the Guernsey Discover Digital Summer Internship and C5 consultants where they have been building an app to aid and benefit the local community. The concept for the app was the winning idea from this year’s C5 Idea-athon held in April. The app promotes recycling and aims to provide the public with an easily accessible source of recycling information.

Mr Barnes said: “I’m thankful to C5 for awarding me the bursary. The opportunity to be able to apply the theory of my A-Level Computer Science course in a practical and useful way is really exciting. I want to be a software developer in the future and this scheme provides some excellent experiences that will help me achieve this goal and give me a head start when I go to university in September. So far the highlight has been developing an app that will help improve the way people in Guernsey recycle.”

Chris Ash, Head of C5 Guernsey, commented: “We chose Rufus because of his drive and ambition in his choice of studies and personal projects. We believe that the bursary will make a difference to him and support him during his studies.

“We’re committed to investing in the islands’ young talent and actively encourage them to bring their expertise and creativity back to the island which is why we offer a graduate bursary scheme. Our business is continually evolving and offers diverse career opportunities, so it’s important to engage with the future of the industry and provide them with a development path.

“Investing in education and skills development is vital for the industry to continue to grow and profit and we want to empower future generations of IT talent. I wish Rufus the very best of luck with his studies and congratulations on his excellent results.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about a career with C5 Alliance should contact: careers@c5alliance.com.