OMGTech! launches Youth Leadership programme

OMGTech! launches Youth Leadership programme for future Science and technology leaders

OMGTech! has partnered with the Ministry of Youth Development to launch it’s new OMGTech! Youth Leadership programme. Youth Minister Nikki Kaye today announced $25,000 of funding for the OMG Tech Youth Leadership Training Programme.

“This investment will help foster 20 young leaders from decile 1 and 2 schools to empower other young people in their communities to learn about and become familiar with using future technologies,” says Ms Kaye.

The Youth Leadership programme will help New Zealand create a strong pipeline of future leaders in the technical space who will be seen as positive role models within their communities as well as be able to help define the technology of the future.

Dr Michelle Dickinson, co-founder of OMGTech! announced the programme today at Freemans Bay school. "Empowering the next generation of leaders is important for the science and technology future of New Zealand. I'm excited to help to create a new platform which not only builds confidence in young people but also enables them to take the knowledge and experiences they learn from our leadership program and take technology education back to their communities.

OMGTech!’s Youth Leadership programme will focus on hands on interactive training and group process skills through a weekend course held in Auckland in addition to 12 months of being paired with a mentor who is currently working in the science and technology sector.

OMGTech! will provide resources for the leaders to set up modern learning environments within their local communities, including at a library, Marae, school or community centre through a curiosity led discovery learning platform.

Lack of gender and ethnic diversity in STEM fields is a global issue and research shows that more diverse technical teams produce more financially successful business outcomes as well as increases confidence for improved diversity in senior leadership roles. The Government is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in state-of-the-art digital infrastructure in our schools, and recently outlined broader work underway to enhance students’ digital fluency.

It’s important that young people, regardless of where they live or go to school, have hands-on access to these technologies that will shape their future. The programme is about encouraging and enabling better engagement with science and technology within all communities in New Zealand.

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