GE and MakersBuilders encourage children to Make.Code.Tinker for the future
With Dubai now the home of the world's first 3D-printed building, the UAE has underlined its credentials in this cutting edge innovation and is taking enthusiastic strides to motivate 3D printing and other abilities for the future across varied industries.
Complementing the focus of the country and highlighting its support to produce an innovation-driven environment, GE (NYSE: GE) signed up with hands with MakersBuilders, an education start-up, to host a four-week long 'Make.Code.Tinker' session for students from GEMS Cambridge Academy, Abu Dhabi and the children of GE employees.
Held at the GE Ecomagination Innovation Center in Masdar City, the training program focused on imparting thorough understandings on 3D printing, modelling, coding, Arduino programing and tinkering with the 'Inventor' kit.
More than 20 students took part in the program, which was organized as part of the GE Garages effort, which aims to instill an understanding of next generation technologies among youths. Through the initiative, GE is also highlighting the assistance it extends to innovative start-ups such as MakersBuilders, that cultivate a culture of creativity, development, and entrepreneurship in the region.
The Make.Code.Tinker workshop is designed to promote interest and excitement for new abilities among the young participants using enjoyable and educational technology kits consisting of Scratch from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Media Labs, Arduino Inventor Kit, and 3D design and printing.
Amir Yazdanpanah, founder of MakersBuilders, said: "At MakersBuilders, our objective is to empower and inspire children and youth to utilize technology to become future innovators and business owners. We understand kids have excellent imagination and creativity in addition to a huge capacity to discover new skills. We likewise know in a technology-driven economy, the future job opportunities will reward technical know-how and a mind-set prepared to discover and re-learn. We wish to play our part in preparing children for the future. GE's support of the program is indispensable and highlights their focus on promoting the advanced abilities of the future amongst the next generation of talent."
Rania Rostom, Chief Innovation Officer for GE in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, added: "GE Garages is our flagship experiential educational program that focuses on helping develop innovative abilities amongst members of the neighborhood-- youth and grownups alike. The 'Make.Code.Tinker' workshop was an extraordinary idea by MakersBuilders that matched our efforts of promoting 3D printing, design, and coding abilities in the area. By hosting the program, we are underlining our dedication to promote localized innovation and help build the skills of our community in the current technologies."
The program included aspects such as 3D modelling using TInkerCAD, 3D printing, introduction to programming concepts, Scratch, mBlock visual programming, Adruino programming, sensors and controls and tinkering using the Arduino board, ultra-sound sensors, motion sensor and sound sensor, among others. At the end of the workshop, the students created their own basic video games, digital 3D files to be printed, and other creative tech projects.
GE works with key partners in promoting an innovation-enabling environment in the UAE. The GE Ecomagination Innovation Center features the UAE's first GE Garages workshop, a space where programs are kept in a completely equipped lab, to show how the future of digital commercial manufacturing is changing the world.
GE also nurtured development champions with GEMS Education through a five-session, four-week robot-building program for women aged 9-11, teaching them about advanced manufacturing and coding. In addition, the business has partnered with entrepreneurship incubator Wamda for a mentorship program during which 10 MENA-based start-ups were paired with 20 GE employees to learn from each other.
