IGT’S CODING AND ROBOTICS CAMP INSPIRES THE NEXT GENERATION OF TECH ENTREPRENEURS

THURSDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2022: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Students mastered new digital skills in July and August at the IGT Coding and Robotics Rock! Camp held under the theme “Youth Coding for a Sustainable Caribbean.” This is the second year of the virtual camp which focuses on training youth at the IGT After School Advantage (ASA) Centres in Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Maarten and Trinidad & Tobago, in an effort to bridge the digital divide.

IGT’s Regional Director for the Caribbean Brendan Hames said, “We are committed to bringing new knowledge and opportunities to the students in the IGT ASA Centres in all of the countries where we have businesses. Through the virtual camp, IGT shared its technological expertise to assist in the education of young people and inspired a new generation of tech entrepreneurs.”

The curriculum for the second iteration of the camp was once again designed in partnership with The Mona Geoinformatics Institute (MGI) at UWI, Mona, along with Education Development Specialist and STEM Educator Mrs. Nalini Ramsawak-Jodha from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. The camp was delivered simultaneously across the participating IGT ASA Centres in the English-speaking Caribbean, catering to two different learning levels.

The more advanced Level II edition took place from 20 - 29 July with returning students from IGT ASA Centres in Trinidad, Amica House, Rainbow Rescue, Jairah Boys and Cotton Tree Foundation. The course covered coding and robotics in web development and included an introduction to artificial intelligence (AI). Marie Belmar, camp supervisor at Amica House, commended the structure and organisation of the second staging, stating, “I had great communication with members of the MGI team. If any assistance was needed, they were ready to help in the best way possible. I appreciated the short supervisory training session before the start of the camp, it was informative and a great help to me so that I could support the students. I felt excited in the sessions because there was a lot to take in, especially new areas such as visual coding and java script, among others.”

First time participants from Credo Sophia House and Cotton Tree Foundation were equally impressed with the introductory level of the camp, held from 15 - 26 August. The lessons catered to students of varying learning styles and interests, building their understanding of the evolution of technology and encouraging them to continue learning and explore careers in that field. Camp supervisor Ann Marie Rodriguez was enthusiastic about the positive impact of the experience on the girls at Credo Sophia House. She said, “Gaining knowledge of how to do coding, learning how to formulate different websites and open their own business will assist them in the future. It was great exposure.”

Her students echoed these sentiments in their feedback. One student shared her delight and confidence in her new skills, “My website was amazing. I did not know that I would have been able to create something like that ever. When I finish school, I can start a programme to teach children like myself how to create their own websites.”

This year’s IGT Coding and Robotics Rock! Camp succeeded in making learning fun, connecting creativity and entertainment with essential technical skills In addition, the “Youth Coding for a Sustainable Caribbean” theme encouraged students to consider how technological innovations can address social and environmental issues and fuel sustainable growth within the Caribbean region. Inspired by this, several students developed websites to showcase local tourist attractions and the natural beauty of Trinidad and Tobago.

While the future is bright for these youngsters, and the benefits are applicable to their present situations. Their newfound ability and confidence will help them with school projects and presentations, and there are already opportunities for them to put their skills to use to support projects with real impact at their institutions. Kirwin Samuel, the camp supervisor at Rainbow Rescue, explained, “At Rainbow Rescue we want to work on building a website and I believe having the boys’ input might be an asset. They would apply their new skills and know what can be done.”

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About IGT Trinidad and Tobago

As the full-service lottery provider to the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB), IGT manages the distribution, accounting, and validation of the Lottery’s instant ticket business. In addition to lottery and instant ticket services, through VIA, a commercial services company, IGT provides prepaid mobile phone top-up and bill payment services over lottery terminals in Trinidad and Tobago.

About IGT

IGT (NYSE:IGT) is a global leader in gaming. We deliver entertaining and responsible gaming experiences for players across all channels and regulated segments, from Lotteries and Gaming Machines to Sports Betting and Digital. Leveraging a wealth of compelling content, substantial investment in innovation, player insights, operational expertise, and leading-edge technology, our solutions deliver unrivaled gaming experiences that engage players and drive growth. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has approximately 10,500 employees. For more information, please visit www.igt.com;  https://www.linkedin.com/company/igt/