STEM-based badge for girl guides
THERE is a new badge available for girl guides who dream of becoming engineers.
By taking part in a bespoke engineering challenge, comprising a series of fun and engaging engineering tasks, up to 280,000 young women can earn the “Gear up” girl guiding badge.
The challenge was developed by a team of female engineers from BAE Systems, a British multinational defense, security and aerospace company, together with the Girl Guides Association Malaysia.
The launch of the badge follows the success of similar launches by the company and Girl Guides in the UK and Singapore to encourage budding young female engineers to take an interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as well as basic computer programming and coding.
At the recent annual girl guide’s conference in Kuala Lumpur, Girl Guides Association Malaysia deputy president Raja Puan Muda Perak Tunku Soraya Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah said she was pleased to have the “Gear up” badge as part of Malaysia’s Girl Guiding programme.
“We know it will be a popular badge and are excited to see our members have fun completing the challenges, while also being
inspired to take an interest in STEM subjects,” she added.
BAE Systems Asia managing director Natasha Pheiffer said encouraging young women to study engineering subjects will help contribute to Malaysia’s economy by ensuring there is a strong and diverse talent pool for its future.
“This initiative is a great way to empower girls and inspire greater women’s participation in STEM related fields, thereby promoting equality of opportunity,” said British High Commissioner to
Malaysia Charles Hay.
The company will work closely with the association to ensure as many young women as possible have the opportunity to earn the badge.
Virtual training sessions and activities may also be on the cards in order to follow physical distancing standard operating procedures.
The badge was launched at the annual girl guides conference in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 2 and will be rolled out across the various regions in Malaysia over the coming months.