Liberty IT has partnered with National Museums to create the STEAM Studio - an immersive tech experience to inspire and engage students aged 13-15 across Northern Ireland.
Students make their own game using Microsoft MakeCode Arcade, inspired by the Ulster Museum’s art collections.
STEAM stands for Science, Tech, Engineering, the Arts and Maths. STEAM Studio runs Monday’s during term time, with travel costs for schools reimbursed by Liberty IT. Since launching the program has welcomed over 1,400 students, with sessions fully booked into Spring 2025.
Sync NI chatted to Liberty IT’s Director of Communications and Marketing, Laura Mackin, who is also sponsor of the company’s STEM Employee Resource Group (ERG) which is passionate about inspiring the next generation of tech talent, to find out more.
Q1. STEAM Studio has been a hugely successful initiative to inspire students and teachers in a unique learning environment – how did this opportunity come together|?
Inspiring the next generation of tech leaders has long been a focus of Liberty IT’s community impact strategy. As founding members within Software NI, our research tells us we are still seeing a lack of understanding of the breadth of career choices across the tech industry being discussed in schools. The needle isn’t moving in terms of wider diversity across the industry and unsurprisingly post-pandemic, schools are under even more financial pressure, which includes many not having funds for educational experiences.
As the leaders in digital innovation, we are committed to helping to drive change and in doing so we wanted to create and take ownership of our own educational programme. As part of this we identified National Museums as a potential partner, recognising how our values for education overlapped. They offered us the use of their incredible space in the iconic Ulster Museum to form a test and learn pilot of the STEAM Studio in early 2024.
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We’ve been blown away with the demand, so much so that we moved quickly from the test and learn phase to incorporating STEAM Studio into National Museum NI’s education program, offering sessions to any school free of charge including free transport.
Q2: What does the STEAM Studio experience look like and how can students benefit from the experience?
Schools can sign up for an available date via the Ulster Museum website. Sessions take place on a Monday when the museum is closed to the public, giving our students a unique chance to have this fantastic space all to themselves.
After an initial brief and a run through of the day with our education team, students use tablets to take photos of the items they are drawn to in the fine arts exhibition, after a walk through by the museum team. They then spend the rest of the day walking through the program, coding their art collection, leaving at the end of the day with a personalised arcade game, which they can keep working on in class afterwards.
Students and teachers not only find themselves immersed in a learning experience that aligns with the curriculum, it’s also a day of creativity and problem solving, never mind it’s great fun! Our Liberty IT ambassadors are on hand for guidance, support and to answer any questions. They also take time at the end of the session to talk about their career journey and role in Liberty IT, shining a light on the diversity of careers in tech.
Q3: What feedback have you had from students and teachers who have attended STEAM Studio?
Ensuring we have an experience that is inclusive for all types of school was incredibly important to us and so we tested STEAM Studio with multiple schools and students from across NI and with varying experience in technology.
Every school who has completed the programme has given it 5 stars, which is fantastic to hear as we can pivot the tasks depending on experience.
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Liberty IT team members act as ambassadors, supporting students through the STEAM Studio experience. Feedback from teachers and students tells us the time our teams are spending guiding them through the program, but also talking about their career journeys is highly inspiring.
We are being asked by teachers what more can we offer them after they leave the museum, and that's something very much on our minds. Through Software NI, we are working with a number of tech companies across NI to engage education bodies and look for more opportunities to collaborate. So watch this space!
Q4: How important is it to have schools build closer relationships with companies such as Liberty IT?
It is hugely important for schools and companies to build closer relationships. Together, we can make a big difference, to help ensure the young people can make the most of their education and get the chance to learn the knowledge and skills they need to go on to be successful in their chosen career.
For us, it’s also about continuing to invest in the communities in which we operate.
Liberty IT’s community investments have continued to grow year on year, and with the addition of STEAM Studio, we’ve quadrupled our investment from only a few years ago, with a view to continue to increase as we expand the program across Ireland.
Q5: Due to the huge success of STEAM Studio in Northern Ireland, Liberty IT is expanding the programme. Can you tell us more about this?
We recognised early in the test and learn phase this was a special program and unlike anything on offer across the island of Ireland. It was always a dream to roll out across the whole of Northern Ireland which we have accomplished, and dared to dream even further, looking for an opportunity in another city where we have a home – Galway.
We’re thrilled to say we’re at the final stages of developing a pilot STEAM Studio for Galway City Museum. Their STEAM Studio is personal to both the Irish curriculum and the museum experience. We’re launching in a few months, again with a diverse range of school types to ensure every student who participates in STEAM Studio has a rewarding and engaging experience.
Q7: Finally, how can schools get involved?
Registering for a STEAM Studio experience for your school takes only a few minutes, click here for all the information.
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