Bridgend Employer “takes home” multiple awards at the STEM Wales awards – and creates free resources for parents to help entertain kids and inspire future STEM careers

One of the largest employers in Bridgend, CGI UK, recently won two major awards at this year’s Stem Wales Awards, including STEM Company of the Year (251+ Employees) and STEM rising Star.

The awards were set up to recognise the incredible contributions Wales offers to STEM industries, and was a chance to recognise key businesses who have demonstrated entrepreneurial and innovative ventures over the past year.  However, the company have also put together some excellent resources, aiming to inspire the next generation of welsh STEM leaders.

Supporting and inspiring the next generation with STEM

Like all aspects of life, education has undergone a seismic transformation this year and families across Wales and the rest of the country have been affected. Even those still going into classrooms every day, are learning in a way they never have before and are undergoing a different form of stress most parents can only wish their children didn’t have to face. Access, motivation and support are only a handful of the hurdles that both students and parents are facing daily.

With the holidays coming up and disrupted learning still a common occurrence, parents are looking for ways to fill in the gaps, engage with their children and make learning a fun and inspiring experience once again.

It’s why earlier this year CGI, one of the largest employers in Bridgend, pulled together a series of activities that families can complete together to keep their learning going but also to remind them that learning is fun and more than a lesson in a physical, or online classroom.

Teaching STEM

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics impact every aspect of our day to day lives, which is why STEM education is so crucial to encourage critical thinking. The next generation of innovators will require an understanding of all of the topics under the STEM umbrella, which is why it so crucial that these topics are embedded into curriculums from the very start of a student’s educational journey.

With this in mind CGI started an internal initiative, which quickly went public called STEM from Home, allowing not just CGI members but families across the UK to take part. For some of the activities, CGI chose to leverage innovative technology from other companies, such as raspberry pi, to teach children about STEM topics in a fun, interactive and informative format.

Free STEM tools

As winners of the inaugural Wales STEM Awards, we pulled together our knowledge and expertise to develop the programme.  An entire section of our website is dedicated to activities for children between the ages of 6 – 14, covering topics including space, environment, coding, robotics, engineering, and science.

When the next generation enters the workforce, technology is going to play a crucial part in their role. From accounting to front line factory workers, technology is and will continue to influence our productivity, economy and businesses. As such, preparing children for this new world is more imperative than ever. By inspiring them now, we’re sowing the seed for a generation who will live in a world more digitally driven than ever before.

We encourage families in Wales to take a look at the free packs, see what their children would enjoy and have a fun and inspiring festive period.  Check out the free resources here: https://www.cgi.com/uk/en-gb/corporate-social-responsibility/stem-from-home