Students commended for valuable contribution to charity

A team of enterprising Edinburgh students who took part in the TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) Tech Challenge have designed a software solution that will transform the way Scottish charity Edinburgh Cyrenians handle vital client data.

The TCS Tech Challenge tasks students with finding innovative ways to use the power of technology to address pressing needs that local charities are facing.

The challenge

Cyrenians deliver a wide range of services to tackle problems faced by people on the margins of society, such as homelessness, poverty and recovery from addiction. The charity needed a cost effective way to manage client data that would allow them to demonstrate the positive affect their services have on the people they support.

Five Edinburgh students from disciplines as far ranging as Classical Studies to Artificial Intelligence worked intensively over two months to design a bespoke solution.

The team exceeded our expectations in that they not only identified a solution but came back having built it.

Benefits all round

The group were highly commended for their work after showcasing their project at a TCS event in London. The team are keen to encourage other students to take part in the Tech Challenge or other internship opportunities.

Not only was the opportunity to work in a professional environment for a real life client hugely valuable and a great opening to the industry, my personal take away from this experience was the ability to work in the local community for social benefaction and break from the ‘university bubble’.

How to get involved in similar projects

The TCS Tech Challenge provides the chance to be mentored by leading professionals while getting the chance to deliver something that is of real benefit to a local charity.

For the latest news on other similar opportunities, internships and graduate jobs visit the Career Service webpages: