Providing 'Coding Classes' to Help Local Students Grow as Creative Convergence Talents
Offering Professional Coding Education Based on Skills and Experience Needed for Work
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks (Director Kim Ji-yong) ‘Coding Education Volunteer Group (Leader Moon Byung-du)’ is receiving great response by conducting coding education volunteer activities to support the dreams and hopes of local youth who will lead the future.
They established a ‘Coding Classroom’ in January this year in connection with Gwangyang City Youth After-School Academy ‘Nara-chan’ to help local youth grow into creative convergence talents suitable for the 4th Industrial Revolution era.
The ‘Coding Classroom’ is held every Tuesday at the Gwangyang City Youth Culture Center, divided into two classes with 40 students. Although students could only learn coding programming at school due to lack of teaching materials, they can perform various practical exercises here, making it very popular among students.
The ‘Coding Education Volunteer Group’ has structured coding practice education step-by-step using Arduino and various sensors. Through diverse curricula such as RC car and drone production, they help improve local youth’s convergent and integrative thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.
* Arduino: A circuit board to which various sensors or components can be attached, operating according to programs created via computer.
The teachers of the ‘Coding Classroom’ are doctoral researchers from the Gwangyang Steelworks Technology Research Institute, providing more professional education. Engineers from the Hot Rolling Technology Development and Process Control sections act as assistant teachers to help students follow the lectures well.
They conduct education by combining their work-related coding and data analysis capabilities and experiences. Notably, most members have obtained related certifications to expand and apply smart factory initiatives at Gwangyang Steelworks, which is also noteworthy.
The ‘Coding Education Volunteer Group’ was founded in November 2019 to encourage active volunteer participation of the in-house MZ generation. They generously share their talents with local youth even after work hours.
Recently, they resumed coding education at Gwangyeong Neulsarang and Taein Regional Children’s Centers, which had been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19, and plan to provide one-on-one customized coding education alternately at the two locations every other week.
Assistant Manager Hwang Se-woong, who participated in the volunteer work, said, “The more I teach coding, the more the kids become familiar and approach me freely to ask various questions, which is the most rewarding part,” adding, “Although it can be difficult, I am grateful they follow well, and I will do my best to teach the kids diligently until the semester ends.”
Meanwhile, Gwangyang Steelworks delivered 11,000 regular sponsorship accounts to Gwangyang City in April for children who are future leaders, and last November operated the creative science program ‘Beyond Imagination Science Creative and Career Science Classroom’ to nurture future science talents, actively supporting the dreams and hopes of local youth and practicing the management philosophy of ‘Corporate Citizenship for Shared Growth.’
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