Creating bright futures for schoolchildren in a digital world

MakerClub, a educational technology company, said it wants to ‘transform the way young people access future skills’ by providing schools with the latest computer hardware and online learning tools. It said this will help to enable children as young at eight to start thinking critically about local and global challenges in areas like pollution and climate change.

It said by 2030, it’s estimated that up to 60 per cent of the worlds jobs will be in industries or sectors that don’t even exist yet, and by giving young people the tools to create with technology, it will make them more resilient in a rapidly changing world.

MakerClub helps young people understand concepts like 3D design, electronics, coding and design thinking, and said future employers will be looking for staff who can solve complex problems, think critically and creatively.

Declan Cassidy, MakerClub’s head of impact, said: “While it’s impossible to know what the future will bring, we can take a pretty good guess.

“We know that having a good grounding in coding will still be seen as a positive and we also know that those with creative skills will also be highly prized by employers - invention and design brings these together. By doing this in schools, we can also make sure those from low income families in the city are not left behind.”

MakerClub has teamed up with Wired Sussex, Albion in the Community and Brighton and Hove City Council to run the #BrightFutures campaign – 12 months of events, free courses, and conversation around what the world of work will look like in Brighton and Hove by 2030.