The Kent IT Clinic (KITC) at the University of Kent has been awarded Technology Enterprise Kent’s ‘Enterprise and Training Award for excellence’ under the category of IT Support.

The award, which was presented to David Soud, Co-ordinator of KITC, on 4 October, is in recognition of ‘the considerable achievement of KITC consultants in delivering the intensive assists on behalf of Medway Authority in 2006 and 2007’.

Launched in October 2005 and with branches at the University’s Canterbury and Medway campuses, KITC provides high quality, low cost IT support, services and consultancy to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro-enterprises in the Canterbury, East Kent and Medway area. The Clinic is unique in that its consultants are undergraduate computing students, many with industrial and consulting experience gained through placements at major organisations such as Sun Microsystems, IBM and Microsoft.

The relationships between KITC and its clients are managed by full-time IT professionals, monitored by KITC management and mentored by academic and technical members of the University’s Computing Laboratory.

David Soud said: ‘I am very pleased that Technology Enterprise Kent has recognised the achievements of the IT Clinic and the excellent work carried out by KITC consultants during 2006 and 2007. This confirms the position of the IT Clinic as a training provider of excellence and affirms its status as Medway Authorities IT provider of choice to small and micro enterprises in the Medway area. I look forward to further distinctions for the IT Clinic in the coming year.’

Professor Simon Thompson, Director and Head of the Computing Laboratory at the University of Kent, said: ‘I am delighted that the Clinic has received this recognition. Student consultants in the Clinic are giving real benefits to the local community as well as equipping themselves with invaluable experience for a career in computing and IT. Until this year, Clinic consultants have been undergraduates, but this autumn we began teaching a new MSc in IT Consultancy, based in the KITC.’

Carole Barron, Director of Enterprise at the University, said: ‘The University is understandably proud of KITC and its achievements. This award closely follows its success in receiving national recognition in 2006 when they were shortlisted for the Computing Award for Excellence. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students and their supervisors in supporting businesses across the South East.’

I Myself as a Student was an IT Consultant last year for The Kent IT Clinic, so I know just what it’s like working within the KITC – At times it can be hard trying to work for both The Kent IT Clinic while also attending the other university modules you are taking, but I think it’s all about balance – you need to try and balance the two.

The great thing is I can say I’ve worked at The Kent IT Clinic and be proud of it. It was a great experience and it’s great knowing that I was in the first group of consultants to be at Medway and that my work done there (Server Configuration, Laptop Training Guides etc) as helped the KITC get to where it is now! 🙂