This week CARES hosted the PASI (Pasifika in IT Advocates for Students in IT) Mentoring Programme. Thirty young people from schools in South Auckland (Otara, Papatoetoe, Mangere and Otahuhu), and their families had the opportunity to visit The University of Auckland robotics lab and spend time programming our robots with Dr Craig Sutherland. The labs were buzzing with excitement, curiously and wonder as the children had their first encounter with robots.
This programme organised by Pasifika in IT in collaboration with The Southern Initiative and Project Wy, aims to connect a young person interested in technology, with a mentor that can support their interest in a future career in Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths (STEM). The students and their families are supported by a Pasifika co-hort that has a vision to grow Pasifika leaders and encourage Pasifika youth in the IT/ technology field.
Pasifika in IT’s vision: “Pasifika peoples realizing their full potential through the use of technology to better themselves and their communities.” complements our mission to create inspiring and innovative robotic technologies that improve societal wellbeing. We look forward to having these budding future engineers join us to create new technologies for Aotearoa.
Video courtesy of Tagata Pasifika: