Inspiring youth to envision a future in STEM
Brought to you by IBM STEM for Girls Canada
We’re excited to share some highlights about STEM for Girls Canada!
- Program Overview
- How to Get Involved!
- 2021 Achievements and Plans for 2022
Program Overview
Our mission in Canada
With a collaborative ecosystem of partners and IBM volunteers, IBM STEM for Girls Canada offers creative and innovative learning experiences to build STEM know-how and workplace skills for youth 13+, with a focus on underrepresented communities.
Girls in particular are telling us they want to learn and grow for greater representation in STEM fields. We’re here to help knock down those barriers so you can see yourself one day as an engineer, doctor, physicist, and more. The possibilities are endless, and your future is bright!
Offering professional and technical skills development to youth
- Online learning with IBM SkillsBuild for Students where you can earn the STEM for Girls (SFG) certificate (learn how to get started below)
- In-school and out-of-school programs
Supporting parents and teachers with resources to help youth
- Teacher professional development
- Parent and teacher webinars
Get involved and expand your STEM journey!
Why should I join?
- To access the IBM SkillsBuild learning plan on how to earn the IBM STEM for Girls (SFG) Certificate and build your technical and professional skills
- To receive notifications on upcoming engagement opportunities (camps, webinar series, activities with partners), new courses, and learning suggestions
- To watch videos from women in STEM
- To find fun, quick-learning activities
How do I join?
- Step 1: Register for IBM SkillsBuild for Students
- Step 2: Earn the IBM STEM for Girls (SFG) Certificate STEM for Girls Learning Plan
2021 Achievements and Plans for 2022
This year’s highlights
It’s been a busy year of building new partnerships, collaborating within local communities, and developing and delivering engaging events. We did this with one goal in mind – to support, influence and inspire youth across Canada.
- April 2021: We partnered with CIBC and its partners to host the STEM Breakout Camp where 1,500 students attended virtually for a week of workshops and activities.
- July 2021: We welcomed 3,000 kids to our National STEAM Camp in collaboration with the following corporate and community partners: Cisco, RBC, Telus, Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) STEAM Academy, PaloAlto Cyber A.C.E.S., RoboRaiders, University of Calgary, Fortinet, and MLSE.
- October 2021: IBM STEM for Girls Canada and Plan International Canada hosted a Girls Belong Here roundtable session with youth ambassadors and our former IBM Canada President and General Manager, Claude Guay, where girls provided feedback on the roadblocks they faced in STEM and how IBM’s STEM for Girls program could help more girls/youth.
- November 2021: We sponsored The Learning Partnership’s Take Our Kids to Work Day and hosted the Careers in Tech session (replay available on YouTube).
- December 2021: We started the SFG Ambassador program to continue to engage youth from the October 2021 roundtable and July 2021 STEAM Camp. They play a pivotal role in helping us shape our program and 2022 strategy and ensure this is a program built by youth for youth.
Looking ahead to next year
Thinking about the coming year brings with it the hope and excitement of returning to in-person events and learning – something we’ve missed dearly since the start of the pandemic. Making connections and spending time together is when we thrive and grow.
- January 2022: We launched the SFG Learning Plan on IBM SkillsBuild for Students, providing students with technical and workplace skills. We will be continuing the development of similar resources over the course of 2022.
- March 2022: We partnered with CIBC and its partners to host the STEM Breakout Camp, where 1,200+ kids attended virtually for 3 days of workshops and activities. IBM STEM for Girls hosted the sessions: “Why Engineering?”, “Create your own computer game using scratch”, and “The Science of Cupcakes”.
- April 2022: We engaged 3 women executives, presenting “Women Wednesday,” a video series for youth to learn from women leaders and that encourages youth to knock down any barriers to becoming an engineer, doctor, physicist, and more.
- April 2022: We hosted 3 sessions, Intro to Cybersecurity, Build a Chatbot, and Intro to SkillsBuild, for the Restore a Sense of I Can (RSC) Girls in ICT Event, engaging 273 students and teachers.
- May 2022: We hosted a week-long STEM Camp in the Bahamas for 48 students and teachers.
- June 2022: We will host an IBM STEM Event at Think Toronto for 25 girls. This will consist of presentations, workshop labs, facilitated discussion and a live band at the conference! This day has been designed to inspire, encourage and empower the GTA’s next generation of youth in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). This event is suited for enthusiastic youth from grades 5-8.
- July 2022: Our National STEAM Summer Camp is back! Register Here.
- We have many new and exciting partnerships coming in 2022 to expand our reach and double the number of youth impacted by STEM for Girls.
Partik Dullat, IBM STEM for Girls Canada, Program Leader
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/partik-dullat-792001140/
