On 12th November 2025, we welcomed 25 students from the Chiltern Hills Academy to our office as part of BIMA’s Digital Day 2025, a nationwide initiative designed to inspire the next generation of digital talent.
BIMA’s Digital Day is an annual event run by the British Interactive Media Association (BIMA) that gives 11–16-year-olds a free, first-hand insight into the world of digital careers. Each year, hundreds of schools and thousands of students across the UK take part in this one-of-a-kind day, competing in a sponsored nationwide digital challenge with support from industry professionals. It’s part of BIMA’s ongoing commitment to tackle the UK’s digital skills gap by sparking young people’s interest in tech and creative careers from an early age.
By participating in Digital Day, students get to see what digital really means in a business context. They discover that digital careers aren’t just about coding or social media, they include everything from software development to graphic design, data analytics, marketing and more. Digital Day brings these opportunities to life for the students, showing that there are opportunities in tech to suit all interests.
Digital Day is a highly valuable day for students; it gives them an eye-opening introduction to the breadth of opportunities in the digital sector. They get to solve real problems and see how their ideas can have an impact, which can be incredibly motivating.
This matters because the UK is facing a well-documented digital skills gap; there simply aren’t enough people with the right tech skills to fill all the roles that the modern economy is creating. In fact, a recent study found that the shortage of digital talent is costing the UK economy over £21 billion per year.
“For companies like us, Digital Day is also an opportunity to give back and share what we love. It allows industry professionals to volunteer their time, act as mentors, and make a positive impact on young lives. The experience is often as inspiring for us as it is for the students, their fresh perspectives and enthusiasm remind us why we’re passionate about what we do.”
— Wes Hackett, CTO, Addin365
The students’ task for the day was to tackle two exciting real-world business challenges provided by BIMA’s official challenge partners for 2025. In teams, and with a little coaching from us, the students switched into problem-solving mode and immersed themselves in the briefs:
Aston Martin, one of the world’s most iconic car brands, is about to launch its newest car model. But this can’t be just another car launch. It needs to create global buzz. How can an iconic car launch go beyond the ordinary and capture worldwide attention?
Reimagine the HelloFresh box and delivery experience using technology. How can we make receiving a meal kit more personalised, surprising, or interactive for customers?
“Working on a digital brief pushed us to think innovatively and collaborate as a team. It was exciting to discover roles in the digital industry from UX design to content strategy”
“It was fun and educational and the office environment at Addin365 in London really helped us focus on our work challenge”
“It was great to see how AI technologies are used in real world settings and businesses”
“I learned about AI and teamwork. One of the highlights was to plan a launch for an Aston Martin car. It was really cool to combine creativity with technology”
The challenges pushed the students to think creatively about technology in a different context. From the high-octane world of luxury cars to the everyday convenience of meal kits, the kids got to see that digital innovation is everywhere, in every industry and product you can imagine.
It was incredible to watch the teams brainstorm and put their ideas together. With guidance from their mentors, the students sketched out concepts, debated solutions and even did some competitor research online. By the afternoon, our office was buzzing with ideas!
We are grateful for the opportunity to connect with and learn from the female STEM graduates. They impressed us with their enthusiasm, curiosity, and potential. Our hope is that our involvement in the Everywoman Tech Forum Early Careers Day has helped them to achieve their goals and aspirations. We look forward to seeing them succeed in the tech sector.
BIMA Digital Day 2025 was a rewarding experience that reinforced our commitment to community and education. It showed us that when you give young people a platform and a bit of encouragement, they can absolutely amaze you. In a single day, these 25 young individuals got a glimpse of what their tomorrow could look like in the digital world, and we at Addin365 were honoured to play a part in that journey.
“I was truly impressed by the creativity and enthusiasm shown by the students. Their ability to tackle challenges with fresh ideas and genuine curiosity was inspiring. Digital Day stands as a testament to the incredible talent and potential within the next generation, and it’s an honour to help nurture their journey into the world of digital innovation.”
— Wes Hackett, CTO, Addin365
If you’d like to find out more about BIMA’s Digital Day, you can do so here:
