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FXP Festival is working with Cambridge-headquartered global technology leader, Arm, to deliver an Extended Challenge for students in Year 9 who participated in this year’s FXP, a games design and development competition which took place at Cambridge Regional College, 7 – 9 July 2018.
FXP Festival is linked to the computer science curriculum and uses computer games to increase interest and uptake of STEM subjects, build young people’s digital skills and provide an insight into what careers in the technology, creative digital and related industries might offer.
Announced on the final day of FXP, the Extended Challenge will see students across Cambridgeshire going head-to-head to create an innovative app idea. From 21 January to 25 March 2019, students will work independently to design a mobile app that gamifies a solution to an important global problem linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. App ideas will be judged by Arm’s team of experts and five winning students will win the opportunity to visit Arm for work experience during the summer of 2019.
Simon Humphrey, senior manager, Corporate Responsibility, Arm, commented: “We want to encourage students to explore the exciting opportunities a career in the technology sector at a company like Arm can offer and, as such, we strive to provide as many avenues as possible to inspire young people in Cambridge and around the world to develop the skills they will need for the future. With its goal of providing an insight into the technology industry, while helping students develop their creative and digital skills, FXP Festival aligns perfectly with our mission.”
Alison Taylor, founder of FXP, commented: “We have just completed our third FXP Festival and every year it has been fantastic to see so many young people light up with the excitement of games development, art and technology, and to see them gain a better understanding of the opportunities ready for them to grasp in the future.
“One of our key motivations for organising FXP is our mission to drive social mobility in the region and help close the technology skills gap. Being able to give students the opportunity to compete to win a work experience placement at Arm brings us another step closer to this goal. Arm has been a great supporter of FXP Festival since its beginnings and we are looking forward to working with the team more closely over the next year as the extended challenge comes to life.”