THE prestigious World Robot Olympiad (WRO) will be held in Jamaica at the University of the West Indies, Mona, on October 6.

Hundreds of students from across the island will get the opportunity to display fundamental skills of critical thinking, creativity and teamwork which they will need to apply to real world problems. At the end of the competition, the top two teams will be recognised and invited to represent Jamaica at the World Finals in Thailand from November 16 to 18, 2018.

New Fortress Energy, a committed supporter of educational enrichment throughout Jamaica, has applauded Halls of Learning for bringing the competition to Jamaica for the first time ever.

The energy company, gold sponsor of the event, said the competition is a step in the right direction for Jamaica. The competition will introduce a wider cross section of students to new skills within the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), all areas that are critical to Jamaica’s economic development.

According to Verona Carter, vice-president, public affairs for New Fortress Energy, there is no doubt that technology is changing the way people do things across the world.

“To prepare the next generation workforce, it is important that we provide opportunities for youth to explore and embrace the critical fields of STEM because these are shaping the future,” she said.

“We are delighted to partner with Halls of Learning on this transformative STEM and robotics programme. Its foundation is crucial to inspiring these students to become more passionate and creative problem-solvers and innovators. Importantly, this aligns well with the vision of our founder and chairman, Wes Edens, who is committed to the sustainable economic development of Jamaica through investment in youth, education and entrepreneurship.”

Last week New Fortress handed over a cheque valued at over $2.6M to Marvin Hall, founder of Halls of Learning, which will go towards hosting the competition in Jamaica and helping the top teams attend the finals in Thailand.

“We cannot thank our sponsors enough for believing in the value and power of introducing students to robotics systems, which really is all about evolving our education system to better prepare today’s youth for tomorrow’s workforce,” Marvin Hall responded.

This year’s theme is ‘Food Matters,’ focussing on the challenges of reducing food waste and implementing precision farming. Students ranging from 10-15 years will use LEGO Mindstorms Robotics kits to design, build and programme autonomous robots to accomplish the various challenges we face in the ways we grow, share and consume food.

Other sponsors for WRO Jamaica include Seprod Foundation, MailPac.com and Mayberry Investments Limited.