As part of commitment to develop local content, Schneider Electric has collaborated with Visiola Foundation, a non-profit organization to train girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Abuja.
The initiative is part of the Access to Energy (A2E) Programme, a one-week rigorous bootcamp in solar energy, information technology and robotics technical skills. The programme’s objective is to tack the limiting cultural stereotypes and barriers that young girls may experience as they try to develop themselves in technical fields.
“At Schneider Electric, we see it as a responsibility to expose them to other women who are thriving in these areas, for them to know how limitless the possibilities are,” Vivian Mike-Eze, marketing and communications manager, Schneider Electric disclosed in a statement sent to BusinessDay. “Schneider Electric is committed to developing local talents and diversity, particularly in Africa, seeing that the girl child often has limited opportunity to develop herself in STEM.”
Part of the process requires the trainees to form teams that are focused on developing ideas around coding. After an intense competition, a team of five girls who designed a robotic arm trash collector prototype, which collects and separates wastes, won the opportunity to tour Schneider Electric’s facility in Lagos.
“Knowing that you can conserve energy by controlling your home appliances with the use of technology, even while far away from home, via EcoStruxure and automation is simply amazing,” one of the STEM girls said excitedly.
Also as part of the two-day tour the girls received various interactive presentations from Schneider Electric’s staff members. They had an educative session on Programmable Logic Controllers with demonstration kits for practical applications.
There was also a stimulating session on discovering EcoStruxure as well as a visit to Schneider Electric partner’s factor on an industrial excursion.
