Over 1,000 schoolchildren face off at robotics competition national final

Over 1,000 primary and secondary school pupils will go head-to-head at the national final of the EMC VEX Robotics tournament.

The final, which takes place at the Nexus Hall at Cork Institute of Technology from 28-30 January, is the culmination of months of hard work by children from over 50 primary and secondary schools across Cork.

The EMC VEX Robotics initiative, now in its fourth year in Ireland, promotes STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning and engagement among primary and secondary children.

Pupils plan, design and build programmed and remote-controlled robots to complete particular tasks, like manipulating and moving or firing objects into a scoring zone. Mentors from EMC and Lifetime Lab provide training and guidance for both pupils and their teachers.

On the day, there will be awards for overall Excellence, Tournament and Teamwork Winners, Programming Skills, Design, STEM project presentations and more.

Martin O’Flaherty, Program Manager at EMC and leader of the EMC VEX Robotics programme, said the initiative “strikes a chord with children and adults of all ages.”

“Robots hold a special place in many people’s imaginations, and getting kids to design and build their own is a fantastic way to promote STEM learning, particularly technology and engineering. We’re exposing children at secondary and primary level to project management, schematics and computer coding and the reaction from them, their teachers and their parents has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s important that Ireland remains ‘skills competitive’ on the global stage and EMC VEX goes towards preparing the next generation for the digital global economy of the future. Business and government must continue investing in STEM skills for children and tech re-skilling programmes for professionals and mature students, particularly in disruptive fields like cloud computing and data analytics,” he said.

Mervyn Horgan, Manager at Lifetime Lab, said: “The EMC VEX Robotics programme is a fantastic opportunity for Cork schoolchildren to experience hands-on STEM activities. We have witnessed first-hand how various elements, including robot design and building, STEM presentations and programming, succeed in not only capturing the imagination, but assist skills development in the areas of electronics, construction, engineering and ICT, priming children for further study in and a career in STEM.

“We’re delighted to see the EMC VEX programme enter its fourth year and see such a high turnout among both primary and secondary school pupils.”

Dr Hugh McGlynn, Head of School of Science and Informatics at Cork Institute of Technology, said: “CIT is delighted to host and support the event and partnership with EMC and Lifetime Lab to provide an environment in which curiosity, creativity and friendly competition will flourish.

“This year’s event is bigger than before with more primary and secondary schools participating. That in itself indicates the growing popularity of STEM activities among children and the realisation of opportunities for future careers in STEM.

“The students bring an air of fun and excitement to the campus and CIT staff and students look forward to welcoming them.”

The national final of the EMC VEX Robotics tournament takes place from Thursday, 28 January to Saturday, 30 January. VEX IQ primary school competitions will take place on Thursday and Friday; the VEX EDR secondary school competition will take place on Saturday.

The Excellence award winners will qualify for a place at the VEX Worlds in Louisville, Kentucky from 20-23 April.

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