Shao Yong is currently on her Year in Industry at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society which is playing a critical role in the coronavirus response. Shao is an undergraduate Computer Science student helping to develop web pages providing new content on the specialised care required for COVID-19 patients which will be available to all NHS workers nationally, with extra information for those who may have come out of retirement.

Like many of the students currently on placement as part of their degree, Shao has had to adapt quickly to new ways of working during the pandemic. She said ‘Working from home has its challenges but it’s motivating to know that the project I am contributing to has direct relevance to pharmacists and COVID-19 patients at this time of crisis’.

Katie Van Sanden, Industrial Placement Co-ordinator said ‘We’ve always said that computer science can take you anywhere, and we’re very proud that one of our students is involved in such a key part of the response process. We’d love to hear from any other students whose placements have been adapted to help in the fight against the pandemic.’

Shao’s manager Jonathan Stott, Technical Architect and a Kent Computing Alumnus said: ‘The RPS is playing a critical role in the coronavirus response by advocating for things like PPE for pharmacists and access to NHS shopping time in supermarkets (lots of pharmacists are independent and don’t work for the NHS). We’re also putting out some extra reference material to help pharmacists who may have come out of retirement or haven’t worked on the front-line for a while. Shao is helping with this response, which is great.’

The School of Computing supports over 100 of its students to go on an industrial placement every year. All taught students have the option to add a placement to their degree.