Airbus Foundation launches youth development programme in the Philippines

The Airbus Foundation, together with its partner “The Little Engineer” has launched the “Airbus Little Engineer” programme in the Philippines. The goal of the initiative is to encourage students between the age of 10 and 16 to understand and embrace technology, and ignite passion that could grow into an exciting career in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The workshop, held at the De La Salle University Laguna Campus in Manila, introduced 15 students to the world of space exploration and enhanced their understanding of both the benefits and applications of space technology. Over the course of five hours, students assembled and launched a rocket, set up a base and established communications.

“We are very excited to kick off the Airbus Little Engineer in the Philippines and to work with such highly motivated students to spark their interest in science and technology”, said Andrea Debbane, Executive Director of the Airbus Foundation. “The Airbus Little Engineer programme helps to facilitate access to STEM skills which are crucial in solving the complex problems of today. I would like to thank all partners for joining efforts and making this project possible in the Philippines.”

This follows the series of workshops conducted in Singapore earlier, which aim was to train employees to deliver workshops in the whole region, helping students to understand the growing importance of STEM skills in society.

Since its launch in 2012, the Airbus Little Engineer programme successfully positioned itself as an effective vehicle for discovery-based learning, working to enlighten and empower youth in the areas of science and technology through robotics and aerospace. It is running in more than 12 countries world-wide and has reached more than 4,000 students.