Inspiring the future at STEMFest

Last week, Vicky, Barb, Hannah, Rob, Colin and Jonny had the pleasure of attending STEMFest, an interactive  event dedicated to inspiring young minds in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

Held over two days, STEMFest invited over 850 local primary school students in Year 5 and 6 (ages 9-11) to explore careers in STEM on the Isle of Man through a variety of interactive activities and demonstrations by local companies across three zones: Engineering & Construction, Science, and Technology & Maths.

PDMS was proud to be part of the Technology & Maths Zone, where we ran a stand featuring an online coding activity. This was to cater to varying levels of coding experience, introducing some students to the fundamentals of coding and sequences, while also offering more advanced challenges for those who were already confident in coding. 

It was particularly encouraging to see the number of young students who not only embraced the challenge but excelled it, demonstrating an impressive understanding of coding concepts at such a young age - some were even noting how easy the activity was compared to coding in Python which they do in their spare time! It's great to see such promising talent at such a young age, so I'm sure the future of our industry will be in great hands for years to come. 

The Tech & Maths Zone also included other organisations such as LoveTech, CodeClub, KPMG, Greenlight TV and more which created an environment buzzing with curiosity and excitement. From VR headsets to filming to life-size monopoly, the range of activities provided the children with a well-rounded appreciation of how technology and maths intertwine in a range of careers. The other zones also incorporated a broad spectrum of activities including building bridges, designing microbes, and measuring Manx scallops, demonstrating the wealth of STEM opportunities available on our Island. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at STEMFest and are grateful to the Isle of Man Department for Enterprise for the opportunity to support the next generation of STEM innovators!