CABLE Education IT Breakfast 2016

CABLE stands for ‘Carrickfergus Area Business Links with Education’ and Big Wet Fish are a proud member.  The aim of CABLE is to foster links between local businesses and the schools within the local area.  CABLE is managed by Lorna and her team at Carrickfergus Enterprise.

Big Wet Fish Hosting was asked to organise an Education IT Breakfast and this took place on Thursday 14 April 2016 in Carrickfergus Enterprise.  Successful IT entrepreneurs were invited to attend the event and tell their stories to the students.  It was fascinating listening to the four entrepreneurs and exploring their career journeys together.  This all took place over a ‘Bacon Buttie’ breakfast with tea and coffee which was provided by Carrickfergus Enterprise.

The students were selected by the four post primary schools in Carrickergus as showing a flair for IT and/or entrepreneurship.  We’d like to thank the Careers Departments of Carrickfergus College, Carrickfergus Grammar School, Ulidia Integrated School and Downshire School for their input and support of the event.

Feedback from the event was excellent with the students only wishing the event had been longer than the hour.  Something to bear in mind for next time!

We’d like to thank our facilitators for giving up time from their busy schedules to speak to the students.  We’d also like to thank the students for coming in an hour early at 8am to meet with the entrepreneurs you all looked surprisingly awake.

Facilitator List:

Peter Johnston – Lystable
Peter studied at Carrickfergus Grammar School and is now leading the team in San Francisco as CEO of Lystable. In the past 12 months Peter has secured $11 million from US investors including billionaire investor Peter Thiel, the original investor in Facebook. Peter’s software allows companies to manage their freelancers and partners. Prior to founding Lystable Peter worked at companies such as Google and M&C Saatchi. Peter is a former client of Carrickfergus Enterprise where he worked with Ian Kerr.

Jill Robb – Origin Digital
Jill Robb is from Carrickfergus and studied at Belfast High School, Ulster University & Wesley College, Delaware. Jill is a Director and Co Owner of Origin Digital, a Full Service web and mobile design agency based in Holywood, having created the company through a merger of her previous business Ambition Digital (which she founded in London in 2009) and her co-partners business formerly Origin Partners.  Jill is a well known expert in her field as indicated by her impressive client list as well as being included in the Top 40 Under 40 list in 2013.  Jill is also a Board Member of NOW Group a charity which assists adults with learning difficulties into employment. She is also a board member of a social enterprise (Gauge), a board member of the Institute of Directors (NI) and Chair of local Carrickfergus charity 1 in 3 Cancer Support Group. Jill is currently co-authoring a book on eTourism with Dr Peter Bolan from University of Ulster.

Kyle Gawley – Get Invited
Kyle Gawley is CEO and Co Founder of Get Invited an online ticketing company in Belfast. Get Invited started as a student project whilst at the Ulster University and is now a million dollar worldwide company.  Kyle is also a public speaker and avid blogger who is well known and respected across the industry. Kyle has the experience of taking an idea and turning that into a business. He is a graduate of the Invest NI Propel Programme as well as having experience in raising start up investment and has raised £250,000. When not leading the team at Get Invited Kyle works as a part time Lecturer at Ulster University and the Northern Regional College giving a little back of his recent industry experience to the future generation coming behind him.

Mark Kelso – Glaze Digital
Mark Kelso is from Belfast and is a Partner in Glaze Digital based in the Ormeau Business Park.  Glaze Digital are a digital consultancy, who provide digital services that work together to make digital manageable, for companies.  Prior to Glaze Digital, Mark held a managerial position at Flowlens in Belfast and before that he worked at Crafty Devil and Whitenoise Studios, two of the best known and respected studios at the time in Belfast.  Mark is also well known as someone who gives a lot back to the Northern Ireland Education Community.  In 2014 and 2015 he was a STEMNET ambassador and more recently he is a part time course tutor on the Interactive Media Foundation Degree Course at Northern Regional College.