CIMB Foundation’s RoboCAMP injects ‘digital fun’ into STEM subjects

KUCHING: CIMB Foundation has launched CIMB RoboCAMP, a holiday camp that teaches primary school students Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in a fun and engaging way through the use of C-Based programming language and robotics.

It was piloted with 189 students from 21 schools in Langkawi on November 21 to 25, 2018. Apart from subjects like application programming and basic engineering, ethics and character building were also incorporated into the lesson plan.

The fun learning camp was organised in collaboration with DreamEDGE Sdn Bhd ( DreamEDGE), a digital engineering firm that ideated the RoboCAMP as part of their corporate responsibility to nurture the capabilities of Malaysian engineers.

The launch of CIMB RoboCAMP was graced by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, with CIMB Foundation Trustee Datuk Mohd Shukri Hussin, head of Consumer Sales and Distribution, Group Consumer Banking Nor Azmi Md Yusof and DreamEDGE chief executive officer ( CEO) Khairil Adri Adnan in attendance.

“The Fourth Industrial Revolution is already upon us and what better way to expose our youths to future career opportunities than by getting them excited about the power of digital through the CIMB RoboCAMP,” CIMB Foundation CEO Dato’ Hamidah Naziadin commented.

“Youths are a key target group under CIMB Foundation’s corporate social responsibility ( CSR) initiatives, and through this inaugural camp, they will be guided to tap into their creative mindset to not only absorb knowledge efficiently, but also be exposed to programming.

“Digital embeds almost every aspect of our lives, and I am confident many of these students will someday perceive RoboCAMP as a catalyst to their curiosity to discover more about the subject.”

To enhance the fun aspect of the camp, the students were placed into teams to compete with each other by programming a robot. Nine teams from three categories won first, second, and third place, receiving a total cash prize of more than RM17,000.

CIMB Group has pledged one per cent of its profit before tax CIMB to CSR programmes across Asean and one of the target groups is youths. CIMB Foundation’s other impactful youth-focused programmes include Be$ MART (its flagship financial literacy programme for tertiary students), junior squash, junior cycling and junior gymnastics.