Date: 2011-02-02 Category: News

6m boost to create next generation of technologists

A 6million project to encourage young people to follow in the footsteps of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and other successful technologists and entrepreneurs has been announced today by Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, Lesley Griffiths.

Led by Swansea University in partnership with the Universities of Bangor, Aberystwyth and Glamorgan, Technocamps will provide daily and weekly sessions to pupils aged 11-19 on a range of exciting topics, including robotics, games development, animation, digital forensics, software development and much more.

Backed with 3.9m from the European Social Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government, Technocamps will deliver a series of outreach programmes to schools and colleges; inspiring young people to study computing-based topics underpinning and aligned with the STEM subjects Science Technology, Engineering, Maths and pursue a career in one of the key strategic areas that drive economic growth and create wealth.

Over 2,600 pupils from across the Convergence area of Wales will get the chance to take part in interactive workshops, develop their technical skills and gain an insight into the wide-range of careers open to them.

Participating schools will also be encouraged to set up Technoclubs to encourage pupils, particularly girls, to continue to learn about STEM-based subjects in a fun, friendly and interactive environment.

Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, said: We are committed to ensuring our young people can acquire the skills and confidence to use digital technologies. Delivering a Digital Wales highlights how we can capitalise on the digital age and ensure more youngsters achieve higher level technology skills required to take advantage of the valuable opportunities for them to help grow Wales digital economy.

It is vital that we get more young people interested in taking up science related subjects and getting them enthused and actively involved at an early age is key to this, which is why I am delighted to support Technocamps which aims to do just that.

Pro-Vice Chancellor at Swansea University, Professor Ian Cluckie said, Technocamps, a long term transformational programme, will help to position Wales at the forefront of future technical advances through the delivery of a workforce equipped with the computing, science, mathematics and engineering skills demanded by employers looking to retain and grow their position as key players in the global economy.

The Technocamps initiative will build on the achievements of a pilot project, delivered in 2004 to 36 students between the ages of 11-19, which provided young people with the chance to gain practical experience through the use of real-life learning scenarios.

Professor Faron Moller, Director of Technocamps, said, I am very excited that all the hard work to get this off the ground is now paying off. The project which is the only one of its kind in Wales links up schools with Universities through novel, interactive and exciting workshops and master classes.

Through these, young pupils will see how computational thinking underpins the STEM subjects and can be practically applied in the real world. They will then be inspired to work towards qualifications in computing and technology to satisfy the demand for highly-skilled, high-value jobs that will put them at the forefront of the exciting and rapidly-growing digital economy.

For further information, contact:

• Swansea University Professor Faron Moller, Director of Technocamps, 01792 295160 or e-mail f.g.moller@swansea.ac.uk



• Aberystwyth University Dr Fred Lambrosse, 01970 622388 or e-mail ffl@aber.ac.uk



• University of Glamorgan, Professor Andrew Ware, Head of Computing & Mathematical Sciences, 01443 482650 or e-mail jaware@glam.ac.uk



• Bangor University, Saad Mansoor, Head of School of Computer Science, 01248 382716 or e-mail s.mansoor@bangor.ac.uk

6 miliwn i Dechnolegwyr ifanc

Heddiw cyhoeddodd Lesley Griffiths, y Dirprwy Weinidog dros Wyddoniaeth, Arloesedd a Sgiliau, brosiect gwerth 6 miliwn i annog pobl ifanc i ddilyn esiampl Bill Gates, Steve Jobs a thechnolegwyr ac entrepreneuriaid llwyddiannus eraill.

Bydd Technocamps, a fydd o dan arweiniad Prifysgol Abertawe ac ar y cyd Phrifysgol Bangor, Aberystwyth a Morgannwg, yn cynnal sesiynau dyddiol ac wythnosol i ddisgyblion 11-19 oed ar ystod o bynciau cyffrous gan gynnwys roboteg, datblygu gemau, animeiddio, gwaith fforensig digidol, datblygu meddalwedd a llawer mwy.

Bydd Technocamps, a gefnogir gan Gronfa Datblygu Rhanbarthol Ewrop drwy Lywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru, yn darparu cyfres o raglenni allgymorth i ysgolion a cholegau, gan ysbrydoli pobl ifanc i astudio pynciau cyfrifiadureg sy’n ategu ac yn cyd-fynd ’r pynciau STEM Technoleg y Gwyddorau, Peirianneg, Mathemateg a dilyn gyrfa yn un o’r meysydd strategol allweddol sy’n sbarduno twf economaidd ac yn creu cyfoeth.Bydd dros 2,600 disgybl o ardal Gydgyfeirio Cymru yn cael cyfle i gymryd rhan mewn gweithdai rhyngweithiol, datblygu eu sgiliau technegol a chael cipolwg o’r ystod eang o yrfaoedd sydd ar gael iddynt.

Caiff yr ysgolion sy’n rhan o’r prosiect eu hannog i sefydlu ’Technoclubs’ i annog disgyblion, yn enwedig merched, i barhau i ddysgu am bynciau STEM mewn amgylchedd cyfeillgar a rhyngweithiol.

Meddai Lesley Griffiths, y Dirprwy Weinidog dros Wyddoniaeth, Arloesedd a Sgiliau: "Rydym yn ymrwymedig i sicrhau bod ein pobl ifanc yn gallu meithrin y sgiliau a’r hyder i ddefnyddio technolegau digidol. Mae cyflwyno Cymru Ddigidol yn dangos sut y gallwn fanteisio ar yr oes ddigidol a sicrhau bod mwy o bobl ifanc yn meithrin y sgiliau technoleg lefel uwch sydd eu hangen i elwa ar y cyfleoedd gwerthfawr iddynt helpu economi ddigidol Cymru i dyfu.

"Mae’n hollbwysig ein bod yn annog mwy o bobl ifanc i astudio pynciau sy’n gysylltiedig gwyddoniaeth. I wneud hyn mae’n bwysig ennyn eu diddordeb a’u hannog i gymryd rhan o’r cychwyn cyntaf, ac felly rwy’n falch o gefnogi Technocamps sydd ’r union nod hwnnw."

Dywedodd yr Athro Ian Cluckie, Dirprwy Is-Ganghellor Prifysgol Abertawe: "Bydd rhaglen drawsnewidiol hirdymor Technocamps yn helpu i roi Cymru ar flaen datblygiadau technegol yn y dyfodol drwy gynnig gweithlu sydd ’r sgiliau cyfrifiadurol, gwyddonol, mathemategol a pheirianyddol sydd eu hangen ar gyflogwyr sydd am barhau i gyfrannu fawr at yr economi fyd-eang a chryfhau’u sefyllfa."Bydd y fenter Technocamps yn adeiladu ar lwyddiannau’r prosiect peilot, a gynhaliwyd yn 2004 ar gyfer 36 myfyriwr 11-19 oed ac a roddodd gyfle i’r bobl ifanc ennill profiad ymarferol drwy ddefnyddio sefyllfaoedd dysgu ’go iawn’.

Dywedodd yr Athro Faron Moller, Cyfarwyddwr Technocamps: "Rwy’n hapus iawn ein bod yn gweld ffrwyth ein holl waith caled i lansio’r prosiect hwn. Mae’r prosiect, sydd y cyntaf o’i fath yng Nghymru, yn cysylltu ysgolion phrifysgolion drwy weithdai a dosbarthiadau meistr arloesol, rhyngweithiol a chyffrous.

"Drwy’r rhain, bydd pobl ifanc yn gweld sut mae meddwl cyfrifiannol yn ategu’r pynciau STEM a sut i’w gymhwyso yn y ’byd go iawn’. Byddant wedyn yn cael eu hysbrydoli i weithio tuag at ennill cymwysterau mewn cyfrifiaduron a thechnoleg i ddiwallu’r angen am swyddi crefftus a gwerth uchel a fydd yn eu rhoi ar flaen economi ddigidol gyffrous sy’n tyfu’n gyflym.