BJSS, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise-winning IT and Business Consultancy, has reinforced its commitment to community development by partnering with the Glasgow Science Centre and Digital Skills Education Limited. The partnership will see BJSS support schoolchildren aged between 12 and 14 from areas of Glasgow where socioeconomic barriers to participation are typical.
Through a series of digital workshops, participants will learn the fundamentals of computer coding and use Agile techniques to quickly build prototypes of their ideas. They will learn the importance of testing their solutions, and the challenges of combing hardware and software. Additionally, BJSS will gift a micro:bit to each participant enabling them to continue to develop their skills and inspire them to take advantage of Scottish Government-funded digital education pathways.
This is part of an ambitious company-wide strategy which will see BJSS partner with local community organisations in each of its UK and USA locations, representing a significant development of the company’s objective to encourage diversity in the digital sector and to improve the long-term prospects for underrepresented groups. The partnerships will deliver several initiatives at community level, each supporting BJSS’ social responsibility themes of Youth and Technology.
Dr. Gillian Lang, deputy director of science at the Glasgow Science Centre, said: “The need for initiatives that help inspire and empower young people with digital skills is becoming more critical and apparent. We are delighted to be working with BJSS and Digital Skills Education Ltd on this exciting summer project that will do just that. The partnership brings together a unique blend of excitement, STEM learning and relevance that will provide a fantastic opportunity for young people in Glasgow.”
Stuart Bullock, BJSS managing director, said: “Our CSR programme shows how businesses and local organisations can collaborate to make the technology sector more inclusive. By extending our award-winning programme – which combines funding with pro-bono support – to all BJSS locations, we will inspire even more young people in underrepresented groups to learn more about technology and ensure that they are not excluded from the digital future.”