Full STEAM Ahead as students take part in finals of the Dell Technologies National VEX IQ Robotics competition

The National Finals of the 2020 Dell Technologies VEX IQ Primary School Competition hosted in conjunction with Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) took place today with 600 students from across the country bringing STEAM skills to life by undertaking a game-based engineering challenge to design and build robots.

The Dell Technologies VEX Robotics Competition has become a national competition with a growing number of young people inspired to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Technology (STEAM) at the earliest opportunity. From the initial 10 secondary schools participating in the inaugural competition in 2012, the competition has expanded with the inclusion of the primary school in 2014. The expansion has been enabled through a partnership with CIT and the support of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Discover Programme.

This year, over 3500 students from 150 schools participated in eleven regional competitions that took nationwide with plans afoot to expand the competition even further next year. Out of the participating schools in this year’s Dell Technologies National VEX IQ Primary School Competition, 24 qualified through to today’s final where teams competed for a spot at the VEX World Competition in Kentucky.

The robotics challenge gives both primary and secondary schools a fun, engaging and hands-on opportunity to design, build and programme a robot in teams. In September schools are provided with an easy to follow manual to help the schools run the preparation stages independently. Teams spend months working on their projects, with practice sessions organised in November designed to help students prepare for the competition phases in January. Dell Technologies in partnership with CIT and Mary Immaculate College deliver the national VEX Robotics competition with support throughout the year from Dundalk IT, Letterkenny IT, Tralee IT, Carlow IT and Offaly County Council. Over 200 Dell Technologies team members were involved in this year’s competition.

Bob Savage, Vice-President, EMEA Centres of Excellence and Cork Site Leader, Dell Technologies, said: “At Dell Technologies, we’re committed to driving human progress by enabling STEAM learning for young people across Ireland. That is why our team have come together to expand the Dell Technologies VEX Robotics Competition nationwide and empower as many young people as possible through the power of robotics. In time, this will help to create a new generation of developers and engineers whose skills will position Ireland as an innovation island. Well done to all the teachers and students who have designed some truly incredible robots here today.”

Prof Hugh McGlynn, Head of School of Science and Informatics, CIT said: “We are delighted to once again organise and host in collaboration with Dell Technologies VEX IQ Robotics National Finals. Seeing young students compete and apply scientific knowledge to a fun and competitive activity like robotics is rewarding. At CIT we are committed to education and our collaboration with Dell Technologies has always been focused on this purpose. I would like to thank all the students, schools and volunteers who took part in the competition and, as always, congratulate the lucky winners who will have the opportunity to represent Ireland at the VEX Robotics World competition.”

Margie McCarthy, Head of Education and Public Engagement, Science Foundation Ireland, said: “Science Foundation Ireland is proud to continue to support VEX Robotics, a programme that promotes skills in young people, from problem-solving to communicating ideas by engaging students in science, technology, engineering and maths. We are delighted that this all-inclusive, accessible programme continues to grow year on year and wish the organisers and the participating students all the best for 2020.”

For further information on VEX Robotics log onto https://www.roboticseducationireland.com/