The team from Strand Forge recently headed to the unique IT NeŠkola (IT "Non-School") open house in Žďár nad Sázavou. As a company that focuses on connecting gaming principles with the B2B sphere, we were thrilled to be part of an event that pushes the boundaries of traditional education. By using gamification, we are able to bring measurable results to both the education and marketing sectors, which aligns perfectly with the vision of IT NeŠkola.
Practical Learning and Real-World Projects
To give you a better idea of the atmosphere, IT NeŠkola is not your typical educational institution. It is a completely innovative concept inspired by modern foreign models that operates entirely without traditional lectures or teachers. Instead, it focuses on independence, teamwork, and, most importantly, solving real-world tasks from the industry. Students work under the guidance of mentors directly from technology companies, focusing on areas like programming, data analytics, and cybersecurity. Their skills then perfectly match what today's job market actually demands.
Our Chill Out Zone and High-End Hardware
We couldn't miss an event like this without bringing our own gear. We set up a special chill out zone for visitors, where both company representatives and students could relax and, more importantly, experience cutting-edge technology first-hand. We provided popular gaming consoles like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch, allowing guests to play various games and recharge for the rest of the program.
The main attractions, however, were our virtual and augmented reality systems. We brought the popular Meta Quest 3headsets along with the brand-new Apple Vision Pro powered by the M5 chip.
Exploring Castles and Controlling Lights with a Glance
Using these VR and AR devices, we presented several of our technology demos that perfectly illustrate the future of interactive software:
- History Comes to Life in VR (Meta Quest 3): We prepared a demo where users are instantly transported into highly detailed historical rooms of an old castle. The environment offers an amazing degree of freedom; visitors could explore everything, interact with objects, and even virtually chop wood.
- The Future of Augmented Reality (Apple Vision Pro): We showcased demos that are still in the early stages of development, but the response was massive. The "portal to another dimension" was visually stunning, but even more interest was sparked by our smart home integration. Students just had to put on the headset, look at a smart lamp, and perform a simple hand gesture. The devices connected instantly via Bluetooth, and the lamp responded to the gesture immediately.
Inspiring Students and Productive Networking
The entire day was incredibly inspiring for us. We had the chance to talk to many hardworking students whose knowledge and IT expertise pleasantly surprised us. It was very positive to see so many intelligent and motivated young people in one place.
The event also provided a great space for networking. We met representatives from many interesting companies and established valuable contacts for the future. A definite highlight of the day was the insightful lecture series by developers from Bohemia Interactive, which took the whole event to the next level.
A Great Ending
Beyond the packed schedule, inspiring meetings, and amazing tech, the overall hospitality made our day. We were treated to some excellent pizza during the event, which was a very nice touch and completed the relaxed atmosphere of the gathering.
We are leaving this year's open house with only the best impressions and rate the entire event as a huge success. It is already clear to us that we would love to participate in IT NeŠkola events again next year!
