Indian IT firm Tata Consultancy Services has brought its international science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program to the Philippines after partnering with the Department of Education–Cordillera Administrative Region.
The company’s goIT program aims to boost the number of IT professionals by providing hands-on technology education to high school students.
The initiative is an experiential and immersive program but is already present in 20 schools across Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mt. Province and Kalinga.
During its three-day program, students are introduced to concepts surrounding product prototyping, innovation life cycle, and even entrepreneurial skills.
“True to our vision of promoting quality education for every Filipino, TCS’ goIT program will facilitate the learning of much-needed technological skills. This will further develop the technology skills of our Cordilleran learners and hopefully encourage them to pursue STEM,” said May Eclar, regional director of the Department of Education–Cordillera Administrative Region.
TCS employee volunteers will be leading the discussions on the concepts and personal experiences around the IT industry to grade 9 and 10 students.
The program will run across all participating divisions in the region until May 2021, followed by a set of schools hailing from the Baguio City Division. Since the Department of Education still prohibits conduction of face-to-face classes, the program will be held virtually.
According to TCS Philippines CSR manager Patrick Veril, the company looks forward to seeing the creative solutions that the students can come up with through the goIT program’s help.
“Apart from teaching the students science and technology skills, they would have to come up with innovative solutions that would alleviate certain problems in their areas such as waste management, calamity control/response, environment preservation, among others.” Veril added.
