International Game Technology (IGT), in collaboration with Mona Geoinformatics Institute (MGI), this week kicked off its annual coding and robotics programme, dubbed the ‘IGT Coding & Robotics Rock! Camp’ across the Caribbean.

This year’s camp runs from July 15 – 26 under the theme ‘Climate Action: Think It, Code It, Solve It’ and will see student participation from Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, St Maarten, and Jamaica.

As implied in the theme, the students will be encouraged to apply technology to potentially address Caribbean climate resiliency issues.

“IGT is very pleased to facilitate the fourth annual Coding & Robotics Rock! Camp to students throughout the Caribbean,” said Debbie Green, IGT general manager, Jamaica. “IGT remains committed to our global After School Advantage programme, providing youth with access to technology, while promoting digital learning opportunities in communities where we operate.”

The camp’s courses, developed by MGI in collaboration with Education Specialist Nalini Ramsawak-Jodha from The University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus in Trinidad, are meant to introduce students to careers in the computer science industry as well as provide a foundation of computer science, including the basics of computing and coding.

The participating students are all beneficiaries of IGT’s After School Advantage programme which has provided fully equipped computer labs to 39 facilities for young people across the English-speaking Caribbean.