STEM@CGI in the U.S.

The United States consistently has many more science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs available than people who are qualified to fill them. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, over the next 10 years, American STEM careers are predicted to increase by more than 20 percent, further increasing the present demand for skilled professionals in these fields.

STEM@CGI exists to introduce, inspire and mentor students to help increase diversity in the IT industry. The program focuses on groups underrepresented in STEM including students who identify as female, Black, Latino, and Indigenous, have disabilities and/or are economically underserved. Since inception, hundreds of CGI members have volunteered and worked with thousands of students in U.S. communities from Los Angeles, CA to Fairfax, VA.

While providing curriculum based experiences that introduce students to science, technology, engineering and math, students are encouraged to explore the vast opportunities that exist in the IT field. By inspiring and providing access to students who are underrepresented to pursue education career paths around STEM, we increase diversity in the future digital workforce.

CGI professionals work hand-in-hand with community partners that include schools, local governments, nonprofits, local businesses and clients to plan and implement activities and events that help bring STEM to life for every participating student. Our flagship program, CGI STEM Camp, teaches children about STEM-related careers through fun, interactive one-day events, provided at no cost to the students.

STEM@CGI has also expanded to include STEM@CGI at Home, a self-driven, ready to use set of STEM activities specifically curated for ease of use in the home and virtual environment, increasing accessibility for all.

STEM@CGI PROGRAMS

• CGI STEM Camp | CGI hosts STEM camps across the country, which serve as the flagship program of STEM@CGI. During the daylong camps, students are introduced to software coding, computer hardware and other important IT skills and concepts. CGI has completed 45 camps in the US and has many more planned.
• CGI STEM Club | CGI STEM Club connects us with students on an ongoing basis generally in an after school setting. It allows students to grow their knowledge in STEM and experience more aspects of the industry.
• Congressional App Challenge Mentorship Program | CGI members have mentored 30 teams in two US locations. To date, two of the teams have won the challenge for their district!
• IT Girl Challenge | This is one of CGI’s 2019 Dream Connector programs. High school girls work in teams to create a mobile app. The winning team receives a college scholarship.
• Client Partnership | We are explore best practices to team-up with clients in order to combine resources and share expertise to prepare students for the jobs of the future.
• Virtual Event | Due to COVID-19, many of STEM@CGI’s programs have transitioned to virtual – including camps, STEM clubs, the IT Girl Challenge and Congressional App Challenge.
• STEM@CGI at Home | Empowers parents, educators, caregivers and mentors to utilize CGI activity packs to help children learn all aspects of STEM, including coding, robotics and more. Each pack includes activities, remote competition ideas and links to additional learning material.
• Other Efforts | The mission of STEM@CGI is to inspire, introduce and mentor students to STEM fields – especially those who are part of groups underrepresented in the technology industry. There are so many ways to do that! CGI members engage in a variety of community efforts with this goal in mind.
• Developing innovative programs | Our U.S. Centers and metro locations serve as living labs for testing new programs while building relationships with communities where we live and work.
• Implementing best practices | We are constantly testing new ideas and learning from other industry leaders and scholars on the best ways to inspire young people to pursue STEM careers.