Students get byte of the action with Data Vita

The Managing Director of the company driving Scotland's first AI Growth Zone visited New College Lanarkshire this week to speak directly with students about the opportunities heading their way.

Danny Quinn, MD of DataVita, met with students to discuss artificial intelligence and what the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone means for careers in the region. The visit was organised by Academic Leader Claire McRae, who appeared on STV earlier this year to welcome the announcement alongside NCL student Mark Frame.

North Lanarkshire was designated an AI Growth Zone in January 2026, unlocking £8.2 billion in private sector investment and paving the way for 500MW of data centre capacity, one of the largest technology investments ever announced in Scotland. More than 3,400 jobs will follow, including around 800 high-paying AI roles, alongside a £543 million community fund to be delivered over 15 years.

Quinn told students at the time of the announcement: "Scotland has everything AI needs, the talent, the green energy, and now the infrastructure. This is a real opportunity for North Lanarkshire, and we want to make sure local people share in it."

DataVita said it is looking forward to continuing to develop its partnership with the college.