About Skills Gap
Skills Gap is a career accelerator that runs insightful workshops for young people aged 15-19 – because it’s never too soon to think about building your skills for a competitive edge in your future studies and career.
We're offering a range of intensive workshops this spring, all designed specifically for 15-19 year olds and delivered to small groups by experienced industry experts:
Careers in Hacking
Saturday 4 February
Top-flight businesses and governments the world over are recruiting for a new elite force: a band of ethical hackers charged with protecting our most sensitive information and the infrastructure that powers our everyday living. Our online workshop is taught by Daniel Wilkinson, a Security Consultant at NCC Group. He gives a beginner’s guide to ethical hacking and the skills you’ll need to succeed, with practical experience of hacking your way into a vulnerable online storefront.
AI in Astrophysics
Saturday 4 February
With new telescopes now powerful enough to see galaxies formed in the wake of the Big Bang, our online workshop introduces the AI helping scientists to interpret this data to identify stars and plot the shape of the universe. Taught by Joe Sims, an AI PhD student at Leeds University, you’ll step into the inspiring world of AI in astrophysics and get first-hand experience of using a neural network to classify stars.
AI in Engineering
Saturday 25 February
Finding new and optimal ways of doing things is at the very core of engineering. Which makes it the perfect partner for AI and machine learning, from smart production lines to image-processing technology that allows machines to see. Our online workshop is led by civil engineer and data scientist Johan Hagstrom, who will introduce you to key AI algorithms and trends. You’ll also get hands-on experience with Python, being guided through a computer vision algorithm that can detect cars on the road – a peek into the world of self-driving vehicles.
AI in Finance
Saturday 25 February
The world of finance has been an early adopter of machine learning, from fraud detection to finance chat bots, yet it’s still just touching the surface of AI’s potential. Our workshop is led by Chelsea Murray, a data scientist at ING with a Masters in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence from the University of Cambridge. Chelsea will introduce you to the vast range of financial AI applications and give you practical experience training a machine learning algorithm to predict credit card fraud.
Coding for Game Design
Saturday 25 February
With one third of the world’s population already estimated to be gamers, the gaming industry offers one of the hottest career tickets today. Our online workshop gives you a unique insight into the latest trends, from multiplayer games to game streaming. Led by Josh Hills, a programmer on some of the world’s largest multiplayer games, including Runescape and Horizon, you’ll get first-hand experience of developing and enhancing a physics-based game prototype and discover the skills you’ll need to succeed.
Robotics in Space
Saturday 11 March
From exploring the surface of Mars to sizing up metallic asteroids, the race is on to unlock the mysteries of the universe and answer our planet’s biggest challenges. Taught online by robotics experts, this workshop gives a fascinating insight into today’s space industry. Take part in a hands-on exercise to design an autonomous robotic lander to explore Europa, and get career tips and advice to get ahead.
AI in Medicine
Saturday 11 March
Medicine is on the verge of an Artificial Intelligence revolution – from pioneering surgeries to algorithms that predict future health issues. Our workshop is delivered online by med-tech experts, and will introduce you to key AI trends in medicine, their influence on global healthcare, and the tech skills you need to get ahead. You’ll also take part in an exciting hands-on diagnostic exercise using AI modelling tools.
