Google Visits Miami School Teaching Kids To Code
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SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) -- Tech companies are looking to young students to satisfy an increasing demand for computer science professionals.
Monday, Google visited students in the robotics magnet program at McMillan Middle School in Southwest Miami-Dade.
"We think a lot of the skills that really benefit people at Google start early, so we're here, today this is our CS First Roadshow, and we go across the country and teach kids how to code," said Google Spokesperson Alex Sanchez.
They are the kind of skills students like Monique Alfonso want to perfect and build upon to prepare for a career in what they are passionate about.
Alfonso hopes to work for Google or Microsoft in the future, and then go on to own an engineering business.
Google says McMillan is the first school in Miami-Dade County to participate.
Congressman Carlos Curbelo selected the school for the partnership, and says it impacts more than the participating students.
"They will be more successful and our country will be able to continue being the leader when it comes to technology and computer science," said Rep. Curbelo.
The school principal says it is a unique opportunity for young students to learn from some of the brightest in the business.
"For one thing, the students can see that what is learned in their classrooms is not just locked up on our robotics magnet class," said Principal Hilca Thomas.
Alfonso added that it is fun, too.
"It's a lot of teamwork and collaboration and you're not just sitting at a desk. You're moving around. You're building."
The US Bureau of Labor statistics reports that by 2020, there will be one million more computer science jobs than graduating students qualified to take those jobs.
