University works closely with students to build prototype solutions to address some of the problems with the systems and process within the University using the Microsoft Power Platform. Faculty technician and Engagement Officer, Ugeshni Moodley, Faculty 4IR technician, Fanie Ndlovu and Microsoft Cloud Advocate, Someleze Diko hosted a Hackathon 2.0 using Microsoft Power Platform Technology. The hackathon was held from 21 April 2023 to 22 April 2023 at the DUT MICT SETA 4IR Centre of Excellence from the Faculty of Accounting and Informatics, Ritson Campus, Durban South Africa.
Laying the Groundwork with Power Platform Bootcamp
The hackathon was a follow-up to the Power Platform Bootcamp hosted by the University, Greenlight Business Solutions and Someleze Diko in August through December 2022. The bootcamp initially laid the groundwork through:
- Introducing Durban University of Technology a select number of students to the Power Platform
- Getting them certified with the Power Platform Fundamentals and Power Platform App Maker certifications.
- Completing an industry project with client requirements provided by Greenlight (an Industry Partner).
Durban University of Technology Students as Power Platform Bootcamp 2022 participants
The Power Platform Hackathon 2.0 2023
Following the success of the Bootcamp, the University decided to work on and host a Power Platform Hackathon 2.0 in which the University enabled students to voice out some of the issues that they faced with the systems/processes within the university as students. The hackathon was aimed at building skills and fostering productive private and academic collaboration among the Faculty of Accounting & Informatics, university students and staff members.
With a large number of students signing up for the hackathon, the University worked with Someleze Diko to setup a Cloud Skills challenge that would serve as a qualifier for students who complete the challenge while giving them Microsoft Learn resources to help them get started with the Power Platform. The Cloud Skills challenge was set in a way that students can be able to prepare to take up the Power Platform Fundamentals certification exam.
The faculty technician and Engagement Officer, Ugeshni Moodley and faculty 4IR technician Fanie Ndlovu presented scenarios that took into account these problems which existed within the University and tasked students (hackathon participants) to build solutions to solve them using the Power Platform, specifically Power Automate. The students were grouped into 9 groups with 3 students each and started on building their automated solutions which will be rolled out to the entire University in a few weeks after refining them. Students that were part of the previous Power Platform Bootcamp 2022 mentored their peers during the Power Platform Hackathon 2.0. Students were energized by the hackathon since it enabled them to gain field experience in acquiring requirements and building real world projects that will drive significant impact on their university.
Faculty technician and Engagement Officer, Ugeshni Moodley and Faculty 4IR technician Fanie Ndlovu and Someleze Diko worked closely with the DUT FAI Executive Dean Professor Oludayo, O Olugbara to make sure that the hackathon's structure fits the Dean's vision of students learning through product-development based learning in which enables students to build real solutions used by the University or organizations to solve their daily problems. This approach provided students with skill-based experience and prepared them to face challenges of the industry.
Students and University share their experience
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