Qualcomm and FIRST Are Increasing Access to STEM Education

Topic:

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2023 / Qualcomm

As published in Qualcomm's 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

Our ongoing collaboration with FIRST is another important way that we are increasing access to STEM education and investing in the development of our future workforce. FIRST is the world's leading youth-serving non-profit organization advancing STEM education. It engages students in grades PreK-12 in hands-on, mentor-based robotics programs to help them become science and technology leaders and well-rounded contributors to society. We have been a proud supporter of FIRST since 2006. As a FIRST Strategic Partner, we are a thought leader along with several Fortune 500 companies that are helping to advocate for equitable access to these programs and drive innovative thinking in how programs are delivered. We also directly support FIRST programming, events and thousands of teams globally through both funding and time donated by hundreds of employees.

In 2022, FIRST programs and competitions welcomed teams back to a hybrid approach of virtual and in-person events. Our 2022 FIRST engagement highlights include:

Presenting Sponsor of the 2021-2022 Future of Transportation season, which reached approximately 534,0000 students in 90 countries.
For the first time since 2019, FIRST was back in person for its 2022 World Championship event in Houston, Texas. Approximately 33,000 students and guests from more than 40 countries were in attendance - surpassing the 2019 numbers.
Sponsor of the Global Innovation Awards 2022, in which 110 teams from across the world identified a problem or opportunity connected to the season's transportation theme, designed a solution, created a business model and advanced their skills by using technology. Students developed new ways to address cargo packaging, vaccine and medicine delivery, remote transportation, shipping efficiencies and more. Qualcomm employees helped to mentor students along their innovation journey and provided workshops on Sustainable Design and Patent process.
Expanded our support to Brazil and Singapore FIRST programs with help from local leadership and employees.

The season's virtual and in-person programming made it possible for our Company to maintain our high level of employee engagement in FIRST programs. Employees across the Company donated more than 9,500 hours of their time as coaches, mentors, judges and volunteers to support students in nine countries.

Looking ahead, we are excited to be the presenting sponsor for the 2022-2023 youth robotics season, FIRST ENERGIZE, which focuses on reimagining the future of sustainable energy and powering new ideas forward.

Learn more in Qualcomm's 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report