ConnectTech’s public primary school coding programme, funded by Hamilton Insurance Group (“Hamilton”), concludes this month with a series of end of year showcases happening from Friday, June 7, 2019 to Thursday, June 20, 2019.

This year’s programme, which teaches basic coding skills to 314 students from 18 primary schools across the Island, is a component of Hamilton’s investment in youth digital literacy in Bermuda.

ConnecTech CEO and Founder Coral Wells has seen the classes help P5 and P6 students with their cognitive and problem solving skills, as well as facilitate creativity in young people who are encouraged to think outside the box.

Additionally, in part due to these classes, ConnecTech Instructors noticed an increase in their average ConnecTech test scores, up from 67.2% in December 2018 to 71% in April 2019.

Mrs. Wells said: “We are extremely pleased to see that the fundamental programming concepts we teach students are making a positive impact on their technical skills and computer literacy performance.

However, we are even more inspired to see our young people developing a love for technology and encouraged by those who plan to expand their knowledge of computer literacy skills even further. This skill set is necessary in order to compete in today’s global economy and will open up future career opportunities for them in Bermuda and beyond.”

“Partnering with ConnecTech to ensure Bermuda’s young people are developing confidence and competency in core digital media is extremely important to us,” said Hamilton CEO Pina Albo. “Now more than ever it is essential to keep up with new and emerging technologies. By sponsoring this programme, we know that Bermuda’s primary school students are being introduced to skills which will aid in their success in years to come.”

For their final project, young people enrolled in the classes were asked to demonstrate the coding skills they learned throughout the year by designing a map of Bermuda highlighting their favourite local attractions. The assignment encouraged them to discover more about Bermuda’s geography and history, as well as showcase digital design features including labelling, color-coding, photos and music.

These final projects will be unveiled at the upcoming end of year showcases, happening later this month.

Several high achieving students have been identified within each primary school coding class, based on their grades, passion and overall understanding of programming. Those individuals will be offered a gift certificate to take additional courses and programmes offered at ConnecTech’s technology hub, located in the Sofia House on 48 Church Street in Hamilton.

In March, Mrs. Wells was invited by Hamilton to travel to London, England to teach two 45-minute beginner Python programming classes to middle school students at the Mulberry School for Girls from the Towers Hamlet School District. The girls were also given a tour of Hamilton at Lloyd’s’ offices as well as introductory presentations on various aspects of insurance by Hamilton employees.

“The girls were energetic and engaged during the tour and in the classes, which was amazing to see,” Mrs. Wells said. “We realised that our young people in Bermuda are on par with students their age in other parts in the world, which gives us great hope for the future.”

• Press release from ConnecTech