AI webinar boosts Flint High School’s digital leaders skills in STEM

A group of students participated in an exciting opportunity to develop their technical skills and learn about careers in the flourishing AI industry. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Flint High School’s Digital Leaders from years 7 to 9 took part in a webinar after schoolprovided by The Brilliant Club in partnership with DeepMind, a leading artificial intelligence company, part of Alphabet who also own Google.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Brilliant Club is a charity that runs a range of programmes to support students from more deprived areas to be able to access top universities and to succeed while there, teaming up with the PhD community to do so. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The aims of the webinar were primarily to help develop the next generation of AI creators, support AI literacy in young people, and address the critical school-level barriers leading to underrepresentation in AI that include, according to research quoted by DeepMind, 38% of schools do not offer GCSE computer science at all. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

During the webinar, students learned more about what constitutes artificial intelligence and listened to industry experts talk about the many ways that AI is transforming and benefiting society, from disease diagnosis to enhanced automation and so much more, highlighting the huge range of career options that are available now, and in the future. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Mr Guntrip, curriculum leader ICT, organised the webinar for the Digital Leaders and added an interactive element to the session at key points.   ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

When certain technologies, such as chatbots, were mentioned, he had pre-loaded these onto the students’ computers so that they could immediately investigate them.   ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A useful question and answer session enabling students to speak directly to the experts was also held at the start and end of the webinar. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Mr Guntrip said: “When we received an email about the webinar, we were immediately attracted by the headline that it would supply students with information on how to enter careers in artificial intelligence. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​“Events such as this are so important for young people, and to hear directly from top experts in this critical field was amazing for them.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We are lucky here at Flint High that we have a thriving computer science department and a school-wide focus on STEM, but for students to hear first hand from specialists in the field of AI is invaluable and can provide that spark that inspires them to want to pursue what offers to be a fascinating and rewarding career.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Our students were captivated as the industry experts explained their pathways into their chosen careers.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The feedback from them has been great; they really enjoyed the session and said that it had opened their eyes to the multitude of careers available.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I’d like to thank The Brilliant Club for putting on this session that was extremely motivational for our students.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Next term, Mr Guntrip will develop a full programme of events for the Digital Leaders which will involve creating a website about eSafety that can be shared with the local community. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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