Before the master class began, AFC Bournemouth defender Jack Stacey and club legend Steve Fletcher surprised the participants by holding a Q&A session and taking photos with them.

QuoStar and AFC Bournemouth held the interactive Digital Stars workshop on Monday, 6 March, at Bournemouth University for the Junior Cherries, the club’s junior membership.

Aimed at promoting the importance of technology, the event also highlighted career opportunities in the IT industry and encouraged gender inclusion and diversity.

QuoStar’s systems manager, Austin Brannigan, provided the Junior Cherries with valuable insights on the importance of technology and safe app usage.

Steve Cuss, head of community at AFC Bournemouth said: “IT plays a really important part in everyday life and the more we can educate and inform young people how best to use it, the better they will be equipped for the world of work.

“It was great for the youngsters to hear from Jack Stacey about education, how important it is to continue your studies and to always look to improve yourself. We know he’s just finished doing a degree and when you hear it from a Premier League footballer, it’s really impactful.”

Robert Rutherford, CEO at QuoStar, said: “We are proud to have partnered with AFC Bournemouth and Bournemouth University to organise this great event for the younger generation in our hometown. Our Digital Stars interactive workshop aims to strengthen our relationship with the youth in our local community, introduce them to the world of technology, and promote responsible usage.”

He added that the IT industry is still predominantly male-dominated, “which is why it’s important for us to promote the opportunities for everyone whilst highlighting the advantages of pursuing a career in IT.”

Bournemouth University’s principal academic in privacy in the Department of Computing and Informatics, Dr Jane Henriksen-Bulmer, said: “It is really important that industry, academia and schools work together to help young people learn more about IT, so it’s great to bring all sides together at this event.

“Studying a degree in IT will help young people build a viable sustainable career with graduates in this type of degree typically achieving a higher starting salary than many other degrees.

“We can also use these partnerships to help young people navigate the online world safely. We created CyGamBIT to encourage conversation and understanding of some of the risks they might be exposed to in the online world and what young people can do to stay safe online.”

Steve Cuss said: “We value all our partners greatly and I would like to thank QuoStar and Bournemouth University for all their help with this event and their continued support.”