Rent the Runway joins forces with UL to solve tech talent shortage

With only a week until the initial CAO closing date (Feb 1st), Rent the Runway Galway’s office is joining forces with UL to support their first of its kind, world class four-year undergraduate with integrated Masters in Immersive Software Engineering program. The highly-competitive programme will commence in UL in September 2022.

The ISE programme is unique in that it combines intensive academic learning with practical residency-style immersive real world experience in Rent the Runway and other technology companies. Students will have the opportunity to take skills learned in a bespoke studio setting in UL, into the real world and apply them to solving real problems for major tech players.

Rent the Runway joins an illustrious panel of industry partners including Stripe, Dell, Intercom and a range of Irish start-ups and SMEs, all supporting the new Immersive Software Engineering (ISE) programme designed to deliver much needed world-class technology graduates to Irish, European and global markets.

Commenting on the initiative, Dorothy Creaven, Vice President, Managing Director & Site Lead at Rent the Runway in Galway said: “As an active employer in the highly competitive tech sector in Ireland, we welcome this innovative and radical change in both what is taught to technology students and also how it is taught. We plan to use this collaborative opportunity to continue encouraging women and other underrepresented groups to consider a career in tech.”

“There are three major innovations built into this programme that appeal to us as employers in the technology sector. Firstly, the accelerated academic timeline as there is a shortage of qualified graduates in our sector. Secondly, the intensive, studio based, team-based block-structured learning process and thirdly, residency-based instruction with the best tech companies in the world which means students will have already launched their careers by the time they graduate. We are delighted to be part of this programme and look forward to welcoming two students to Rent the Runway”

As part of the announcement, UL thanked Rent the Runway for its commitment to providing UL students with support for the new first-class learning experience, and for its commitment to innovation in the education sector.

Welcoming Rent the Runway to the programme, Professor Stephen Kinsella, Co-Director of ISE said “It is essential for universities and the technology sector to work together to deliver a strong pipeline of highly skilled talent into the workforce. This new programme will deliver a much more intensive student experience and will fast-track graduation by studying through the summers, and devoting every-other semester to residencies”.  

Professor Tiziana Margaria, Course Director and Co-Director of ISE added: ” We are delighted to be able to offer diverse first-hand experiences to our students through the collaboration with our residency partner companies. Rent the Runway combines a high quality learning opportunity in software development with their values of sustainability, affordability and diversity that sit at the core of their business idea and practice. This is as valuable to us in ISE as the technological excellence of our students and partners. We look forward to a promising strong partnership”.  

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