At West Georgia Technical College’s (WGTC) Computer Information Systems (CIST) program, a partnership with Southwire’s IT Department led to the launch of the inaugural “Computer Science Innovators Challenge” at WGTC’s Carroll campus. The event aimed to foster creativity and innovation among participants of all skill levels, challenging them to develop original projects within a limited timeframe and provide solutions to unfamiliar concepts.
The Computer Science Innovators Challenge attracted three teams that showcased their projects at the event, each receiving Visa gift cards ranging from $50 to $150. The first-place project, “Know Your Power” by Glenn Freeman, Kristy Bishop, and Christian Putman, developed a power consumption calculator in natural language to understand the power draw of appliances. The second-place project, “Streamline, Simplify, Scale (Waybridge SAP/ER)” by John Paschal and Taylor Lowery, aimed to automate the scaling process for transportation and direct trucks and trailers, with an emphasis on security aspects. The third-place project, “The Future of City Exploration” by Robert Galan and Kevin Keeler, was a traveling tool that utilized AI to guide users and provide historical data and fun facts during travel.
According to CIST Program Chair Tara Shackleford, students demonstrated their skills and problem-solving abilities during the challenge. Their impressive presentations opened up opportunities for internships with potential employers like Southwire. This partnership between WGTC’s CIST program and Southwire’s IT Department has paved the way for more collaborative events in the future that promote creativity and innovation among students while also providing valuable career prospects for those participating in these challenges.