Tech consultancy Opencast has donated a dozen MacBook laptops to help pupils at a Gateshead school design and build new robots – and compete in the world’s largest robotics competition.
Wardley Primary School has a busy and active robotics programme – and pupils there spent their own time perfecting robot designs, regularly contributing to the school’s robotics YouTube channel. Wardley’s robotics team took part in this year’s International World VEX robotics competition – joining more than 900 teams from around the world – and the school is looking to go back to Dallas again in 2024. A call out was made in a previous BusinessLife newsletter, for the region’s tech community to aid the school’s mission.
The school is now working with local and regional businesses to help deliver its STEM learning programme, including CMYK, an IT services provider that manages the school’s printing services. CMYK regional sales director Craig Pratt also works with Opencast and he approached the company to see if it would be willing to help, and Opencast agreed to donate 12 laptops to help the pupils to learn code for their robots. Other companies responding to the school’s request for help include Nissan Skills School and the Reece Foundation.
