Robotics challenge: a means to attract attention to a career in science

Officials are hoping the Saskatchewan Robotics Challenge resumes this fall when students head back to school.

The program, launched this past spring, is the initiative of a partnership between the Regina-based Saskatchewan Science Centre, IBM and ISM Canada, which is an IBM affiliate company.

The Saskatchewan Robotics Challenge, a workshop held at the science centre, is aimed at students in grades 6-8. It allows them to build and program robots with assistance from various volunteers.

Program officials are keen to especially attract students from First Nation schools.

“We’re finding that our First Nations are under-represented in science and technology careers and we want to help change that,” said Hugh Hudson, IBM’s senior location executive for Saskatchewan.

Hudson is hoping the one-day workshop is an eye-opener for the youth that take part. And some of them will be so enthralled by the day that they will consider doing this type of work in the future.

“Students become more aware of the possibilities and we hope they discover the experience of building a robot with one of our mentor volunteers (and it) sparks their interest in learning more about future careers in technology,” he said.

The first workshop was held this past May for students from St. Michael’s school in Regina. Later in the month, students from the Cowessess First Nation participated in the challenge.

In June, students from the Imperial Community School in Regina enjoyed the event.

Each workshop lasts about four hours.

The Saskatchewan Robotics Challenge is an initiative which is part of IBM’s global Centennial Day of Service celebrations, honouring the company’s 100 years of operations.

IBM employees throughout the world are volunteering their time to help their communities with various challenges and needs. These celebrations are being held in more than 120 countries this year, in nations where IBM does business.

The company contributed $10,000 to kick start the Saskatchewan Robotics Challenge, which included providing laptops and educational robotics kits.

Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan Science Centre is providing its facilities and working with school officials to deliver the program.

About 100 volunteers are expected to help out with the program this year.

Collette Parks, the Saskatchewan Science Centre’s manager of marketing and communications, is hoping the challenge starts up again when students head back to class in September.

Parks said it is difficult to speculate how many workshops will be held in the coming months.

“It depends on how many teachers book the workshops,” she said. “They’re here and available for them.”

The workshops tie in with lessons that are part of the education system’s science curriculum.

While the Saskatchewan Robotics Challenge was only launched this year, the Saskatchewan Science Centre, which opened its doors in 1989, has offered many other curriculum-based workshops.