TeenTech announces DCMS funded digital skills interventions for young people

TeenTech celebrates ten years!

TeenTech kicks off ten-year celebrations by announcing new programmes supported by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

TeenTech is very excited to be celebrating its ten-year anniversary by announcing a partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Local Digital Skills Partnerships, who are supporting interventions in new areas, the first of which will be in Milton Keynes, Leicester, West  Midlands, Bristol and Hull. 

TeenTech, founded by BBC Tomorrow’s World presenter, Maggie Philbin OBE, produced their very first event in November 2008, welcoming 450 young people to the TeenTech Festival held in Reading. It has since seen unprecedented growth, with an expected 85 events to be held this coming year reaching over 12,000 young people face to face across the UK. TeenTech’s mission is to help young people aged 8 to 18 understand the real opportunities within contemporary industries. TeenTech programmes help young people get hands on with cutting edge science and tech inspiring them to become the innovators of tomorrow.

Maggie Philbin, CEO, TeenTech said:

“I’m so proud of what has been achieved. We had no idea when we built that first event in an empty office building on Green Park that it would develop to include over 300 companies and reach over 10,000 young people with quality face to face interventions every year.”

The new programmes will include a Festival day in each region as well as supporting activities including Innovation Days and Teachers’ events, welcoming teachers from the area to meet local industry leaders who share their experience of contemporary careers.

These activities aim to reach students across the region, fostering long lasting relationships between industry and schools and inspiring innovation, creativity and an excitement around technology, science and engineering. With the help of DCMS’s investment, TeenTech hopes to directly engage with over 300 more schools and inspire many more through collaboration with teachers and local business. 

Minister for Digital, Margot James, said:

“It is great to see TeenTech developing initiatives to help the next generation of digital leaders reach their full potential in society and the future workplace. Their industry-led programmes inform and engage young people about possible career paths, breaking down stereotypes and raising aspirations. I’m delighted that we’re creating a partnership with TeenTech so they can reach more young people.”

TeenTech’s ten-year anniversary will see more activities than ever, over an even larger geographical area and they are set to announce more partnerships this year. Past and present successes will be celebrated with stories shared throughout the year. The organisation has reached over 30,000 young people face to face with many more inspired through their Young TeenTech Ambassadors who have shared their experience and knowledge not only within their schools but with the wider community, locally, nationally and internationally.

TeenTech runs a series of programmes including:

TeenTech Festivals which sees hundreds of students to take part in a day of activities and challenges set by industry; TeenTech City of Tomorrow initiative where children aged 8 to 12 create designs to improve the world of tomorrow; Innovation Days held on company sites focussed on inspiring career choices; Create Your Future days in schools, offering insight into contemporary careers and the skills needed and the exciting TeenTech Awards which sees thousands of students developing innovative projects with support from leading industry experts, offering the fantastic opportunity to bring their project to life.

TeenTech is committed to tangible results:

• 55% female participation in the TeenTech Award programme
• 85% of teachers say the event increases their understanding of STEM careers
• One school saw a shift from 43% to 85% in the uptake of girls taking Physics GCSE
• Another school saw a 300% increase in the uptake of Design and Technology