Ark Bermuda sponsors coding and engineering club

Sarah Lagan

Created: Dec 08, 2023 05:22 PM (Updated: Dec 11, 2023 06:34 PM)

Teacher-led project: Troy King, the lead teacher who pioneered the pilot Coding and Engineering Club in 2022 with support from the Bermuda Education Network (Photograph by Ann Spurling)

An insurer is the new sponsor of a Bermuda Education Network Stem collaboration with The Berkeley Institute and Connectech Coding.

With the support of Ark Bermuda, the after-school Coding and Engineering Club is now free of charge and will take place every Wednesday after school at Connectech Coding.

Complimentary transport from Berkeley to Connectech, along with pizza, is also included.

After a successful pilot programme last year, a fresh cohort of 14 students began the course in October.

Troy King, the lead teacher who pioneered the pilot programme in 2022 with support from the BEN, is continuing to spearhead the initiative.

A spokeswoman for Ark Bermuda said: “Ark is proud to support this teacher-led project, which offers students additional Stem opportunities that will be invaluable to them in their educational journey and for some may lead to exciting tech-related careers."

Mr King, who is head of mathematics at The Berkeley Institute, thanked the BEN, Connectech Coding and Ark Bermuda for their support.

He said: “I’m excited to welcome a new cohort to our Coding and Engineering Club this fall. Aside from being a fun and enjoyable programme, it’s a chance to get some hands-on experience, which helps to provide a greater scope of possible career pursuits in all facets of engineering.

“This exposure provides clear pathways of further studies that they may want to explore. Teamwork, collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking are key soft skills that are also fostered throughout the programme.”

Sloane Johnson, interim executive director of Connectech, added: “Our commitment to fostering a passion for technology is at the heart of everything we do here at Connectech.

“This includes collaborating with industry partners and educators to provide comprehensive Stem opportunities.

“We are delighted to partner with BEN and Ark Bermuda on The Berkeley Institute after-school Coding and Engineering Club, which serves as a launch pad for a range of other tech-related opportunities including international robotics competitions.”