A WORCESTER technology expert has been named the West Midland's "coolest techie" in a competition aimed at challenging "computer nerd" stereotypes and encouraging young people to take an interest in IT as a career.

Jamie Turner is the chief technology officer at Postcode Anywhere, which is based in the Diglis area of the city, and is among 11 regional winners to go forward to the national finals of the competition organised by Daisy Group and UK charity Computer Aid International.

He said: “I'm thrilled to be shortlisted. Kids are much better at being honest than adults so it’ll be interesting to whether the competition inspires them to take an interest in computing. I started coding when I was seven years old on my primary school’s BBC computer and was hooked. A year later, I sold my Lego to buy a computer and have never looked back. I think it’s incredibly important that children start using computers and learn skills like coding from a young age, as the earlier you learn, the easier it is to pick up.”

Forty years old Mr Turner, who lives in Worcester, developed Postcode Anywhere's software which makes it quicker for people to buy things online, by automatically inputting their address when they type in their postcode. He set up a charitable foundation which encourages children to take an interest in computing and teaches skills like coding. He is also a qualified pilot.

Nathan Marke, chief technology officer of Daisy Group said: “This is the first time we’ve run the award and we’ve been stunned at the volume and quality of entries we’ve received. Originally, we were simply looking for people who were enthusiastic about their job and able to explain why the computing and IT industry is an interesting place to work, but people like Jamie have surpassed our expectations massively, making it look exciting and cool."

Children aged eight to fifteen years old will now be asked to pick the winner of the competition with assistance from Bryan Glick, the editor of Computer Weekly, who will act as chair of the judging panel.