Students shine in the Apple Foundation Program at RMIT

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Students shine in the Apple Foundation Program at RMIT

Current and former RMIT students completed the world-class learning and design program, creating app prototypes to solve real life problems.

We asked some of the students who were part of cohort one, Pray, Sajid, Anastasia and Chelsea to share their experience and what they learnt during the program.

But first, what is the Apple Foundation Program at RMIT?

The program empowers learners with a future-fit skill set at the intersection of technology, creativity and entrepreneurship. Learners will be introduced to the Swift programming language - a powerful and intuitive programming language for iPhone, iPad, Mac and more - to prototype an original app idea. The program is free for all learners and each learner will receive the newest Apple technology and hardware – Mac and iPhone, during the program duration.

Why did you apply for the program?

Pray Manuel: “As a currently enrolled, full-time student at RMIT, applying for this program was a huge decision as it would mean that I'd be adding more workload to my already-busy schedule, but there was no time commitment outside the classroom, so it didn’t interfere with my other studies.

For me, working with Apple and RMIT was too good an opportunity to pass up, and the thought of gaining insightful, programming knowledge for the booming-tech industry sounded like a thrill.

Pray Manuel

Pray Manuel

What were your favourite parts of the program?

Chelsea Corbett: “I really enjoyed having the full support of the wonderful mentors Beck and Steph. I also really enjoyed being able to gain the skills to transform ideas my amazing team and I came up with into a real, working app prototype. Getting to share what my team and I had put together at the end of the program was very rewarding. The design thinking process was very interesting and the coding tasks we completed were less scary (and more fun) than I thought they would be.”

Chelsea Corbett

Chelsea Corbett

What have you learnt by completing this program?

Sajid Pakirdeen: “Challenged-based learning was a game changer in this program. By setting challenging goals for each stage of learning, we are able to push ourselves to learn and grow in ways that we might not have thought possible. As part of the program, we were required to write reflective journals every day, which helped me to stay focused and track my progress over time. And solving problems as a team should be mentioned. Through collaborative learning and working in a group, I gained experience in communicating effectively with others.”

Sajid Pakirdeen

Sajid Pakirdeen

How will this program help you in your studies or your future career in app development?

Anastasia Haikalis: “This program has boosted my confidence to delve into unfamiliar territories and push the boundaries of what I can accomplish. With the foundation in coding I've gained, it's given me a jumpstart in app development and the self-assurance to keep learning.”

Anastasia Haikalis

Anastasia Haikalis

What advice would you give to another RMIT students who want to apply for the program?

Sajid Pakirdeen: “I would highly recommend it. It is a great opportunity to explore your interests in a new and different way. The program is designed to provide a hands-on, collaborative learning experience that will challenge you and push you out of your comfort zone. Embrace this experience and be open to learning new things, even if they are outside your usual area of expertise. Also, don't be afraid to ask for help from the mentors Steph and Beck. They are highly knowledgeable and experienced, and they are there to support and encourage you every step of the way. They monitor your progress accordingly and provide clear instructions. Take advantage of their expertise and seek feedback to help you grow and improve. Overall, the RMIT Apple Foundation Program is a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge in app development, design thinking as well as to improve your interpersonal skills.”

What do you want to do after completing this program?

Chelsea Corbett: “I’m thinking of pursuing a career in technology design after completing this program. I have been researching various related courses so that I can study this area further.”

Pray Manuel: “After completing this program, I aim to enroll in similar short-term courses that are available both online and offline. Additionally, it would be great to solidify the app my team developed and pitch it to RMIT Activator as a starting point.”

Sajid Pakirdeen: “My current goal is to continue improving my coding skills in Swift language, which I learned as part of the program to land my job as a software engineer.”

Be part of the program in the next upcoming cohort in June!

The June program is for RMIT students only, is free and runs for four weeks during semester break from 26 June – 21 July 2023. Applications close on Friday 2 June, 2023, so check it out and apply today!

To learn more about the Apple Foundation Program and to apply, visit the website.

Story: Thomas Odell

16 May 2023

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