Tomiwa Erinosho is a Nigerian born engineer and researcher whose research work and publications have received worldwide accolade; having graduated best graduating student in his undergraduate years in Ghana, Dr Erinosho is currently an EDF funded Research Associate in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol. As a University community dweller, his penchant for research and discovery led him and Andrew Ball to the creation of an app that connects students who have skills with students in need.
Both Andrew Ball and Dr Tomiwa Erinosho met while at Cambridge University. Despite studying in the same Business School albeit on different courses, they did not realise that both had mutually desired skills. When their paths finally crossed in December 2016, they decided to find out whether others in Cambridge had a similar problem by testing the skills swapping concept. The success of the beta test led to the creation of an app that helps students find skills within their student community. The app would be Skills Pal.
Skills Pal exists on both iOS and Android platforms and was launched in four UK universities this September – University College London, Imperial College London, London School of Economics and University of Bristol. “Google is a repository of web links while Skills Pal is a repository of students’ skills”, say Tomiwa and Andrew, the founders who designed the app to connect students to swap skills.
Users of the Skills Pal app are required to register using their university email. This is needed to verify student status. Once verified, students can start offering or requesting skills by submitting a form, which takes less than 10 seconds to complete. Users can limit the search for a pal to the students attending ‘their university only’ or can expand it to nearby universities. Once a match is available, the skill offerer and requester receive an SMS and email, which contains the email address of the other party. At this point, both individuals can initiate a conversation via email to discuss how they wish to proceed. Users can submit as many requests/offers as they wish. However, users who offer skills are rewarded when they request skills by bumping them up the request queue.
The founders’ vision is “to make learning and skills swapping a more social and on-demand experience,remove the barriers to learning, socializing and discussion in student communities, raise awareness of the value of getting skills and, to become the largest database of students’ skills in the world.”
The Creative Society at University of Bristol, a Skills Pal partner considers the app timely. “First, it will help students connect especially during the early stages of the first term. Second, it promotes interaction and exposure to learning new skills. Third, the student experience is significantly improved by aligning individuals with similar interests. And finally, the barriers to building interdisciplinary teaming among university students are lowered.”
Like the Skills Pal Facebook page here, download the app here and, start swapping skills today.
