MMCC

On 4 November, Sami Saoudi, operations director and Nigel Moffat, network manager, of MMCC were invited by Stewart Lee, technology teacher at Ousedale School in Newport Pagnell to come to discuss real-world IT with pupils. Using mobile applications had become second nature to 90% of sixth- formers (Year 12) in the class, a fact that suggests the dramatic impact the next generation of workers could have on business efficiency.

Sami explained that modern business requirements generally centre on virtualisation, mobile applications and remote working.

“Each of these elements of any organisation’s IT infrastructure has a dramatic impact on efficiency. Mobility and live data gives members of a workforce real-time information, which has become a must and has improved the cashflows of companies throughout the UK from the moment of implementation,” said Sami.

He described a solution which was developed for Kwik Fit to illustrate the achievements the students could contribute towards if they chose a career path in technology.

Even while staff were training to use the system, efficiency increased by 5%. Using technology to capture customer signatures removed 2000 follow-up paperwork tasks per day. Within six months of using the new software system, communication costs had fallen by 75%.

The application increased efficiency by providing real-time stock control and automating processes. Minimising the level of human intervention helps avoid errors and misunderstandings, such as misreading somebody’s handwriting.

It is a well-known fact, that there is a reluctance to adopt new technology within some workforces.

“As mobile technology is playing such an important role in today’s efficiencies, it is interesting to note that all the pupils within this class carry a handset and nearly all of them use mobile apps on a daily basis. These young people have already adopted cutting edge technology before reaching the workplace,” commented Stewart Lee.

“When this generation start full-time employment, good managers who optimise their familiarity with technology could see a wave of efficiency increases. Although you cannot replace the value of experience, keeping an open mind to what youngsters can bring to the workplace could introduce a pivotal factor to the way some organisations work. We have an enormous amount to thank the popularity of the iPhone for, each year young people start work complete with a ready-formed aptitude for mobile technology adoption,” added Nigel.

The presentation walked the students through the elements of software development and delivery.

“You will start to understand the complexities behind each application on your mobile phones if you start working in IT. For example, one of our largest projects took 7,000 man days to create, test and implement. It now accommodates 6,000 users and a transaction every three seconds.

“If you choose to follow a technological career path, it is really important to work on up-to-date technology. Old versions limit your ability and will eventually push you out of lucrative market sectors. It is vital to keep yourself up to speed with modern technology and build up as much experience as you can,” warned Sami.

All those within MMCC believe young people who have an interest in technology are the future of British business, including its position within a competitive global marketplace.

“The output of any creative software development team depends on finding and nurturing the right people,” concluded Sami.

The Group at Ousedale