ReDI School NRW: Empowers Learners and Makes a Lasting Impact
Text: Takuya Furukawa, Educational Director NRW, ReDI School of Digital Integration gGmbH
The community of ReDI School NRW
The Spring 2023 semester at ReDI School NRW concluded with a resounding success, culminating in a remarkable Demo Day held at Mitsubishi Electric in Ratingen on June 29th, 2023. With 82 participants present on-site and an additional 204 viewers tuning in via the live-stream on YouTube, the event showcased the tremendous growth and impact of the NRW branch. Over the course of the semester, ReDI School NRW reached an impressive 869 adult and young learners, equipping them with essential IT and soft skills. This achievement was made possible through the dedicated efforts of 122 expert volunteers hailing from diverse fields, including IT and other business sectors. The semester boasted an extensive curriculum of 15 courses and workshops, covering everything from computer basics to advanced topics like Cloud Computing and Machine Learning.
The Demo Day received invaluable support from esteemed corporate partners: Microsoft, Accenture, Henkel, and Mitsubishi Electric. These partnerships highlight the commitment of industry leaders to empower learners and foster innovation within the community.
Panel discussion (left to right): Anas Fawzy (ReDI School), Claudia Betcke (Henkel), Harun Tarim (IHK Düsseldorf), Ayse Engel (Accenture), Hayley Spire (ReDI School), Rebekka Olbrich (Microsoft)
During the event, ReDI School NRW introduced its diverse range of programs, including the Kids and Youth Program in Duisburg, Ukrainian Kids and Youth Workshops, Digital Women Program, and Digital Career Program. By catering to various demographics, ReDI School NRW ensures that its educational initiatives are accessible to all, fostering inclusivity and promoting equal opportunities.
Esra Öztürk, ReDI student in React course presents her project outcome
Eleven students proudly presented their course outcomes and projects during the Demo Day. Esteemed jurors representing our corporate partners provided invaluable feedback and posed thought-provoking questions to the presenters, contributing to their growth and development. Additionally, the event featured alumni success stories, including Nkonye Gbadegoye, who secured an internship position at Cisco Systems, Inc., thanks to her journey and training experience at ReDI School NRW. Alina Lata, a volunteer and DevOps Engineer at Henkel, shared her inspiring experience, highlighting the impact that volunteers can have on shaping students' paths to success.
Stories shared by a student Nkonye Gbadegoye and a teacher Alina Lata
Judith Ogwuda, ReDI student in HTML and CSS course presents her learning progress
The event commenced with a warm welcome from Andreas Wagner, Branch President of Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V., German Branch. This was followed by a thought-provoking panel discussion on the topic of "Digitalisation Supporting Integration and Career Opportunities in Germany." Distinguished panelists included Rebekka Olbrich, Manager Philanthropies Germany at Microsoft; Ayse Engel, Managing Director Retail, Socialpreneur at Accenture; Claudia Betcke, Global Digital Transformation at Henkel dx, Henkel; and Harun Tarim, Willkommenslotse, Ausbildungsberatung, -stellenvermittlung und -projekte at IHK Düsseldorf. Moderated by Hayley Spire, Head of Community Development, and Anas Fawzy, Tech Education Lead of ReDI School NRW, the discussion shed light on the transformative power of digitalization in fostering integration and unlocking career opportunities.
Greetings from Andreas Wagner, Branch President, Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V., German Branch
The entire event was expertly moderated by our talented students, Paridokht Bararpour from the Machine Learning course and Raiza Sawit from the React course. To ensure broad accessibility, the event was live-streamed on YouTube, enabling community members from across the NRW region to partake in the celebration (https://youtube.com/live/Fi4ewWp1seM?feature=share).
Laura Isabel Voss, Program Manager, Kids and Youth Program in Duisburg, introduces the program
Since its establishment in 2020, ReDI School NRW has continuously fostered a unique and diverse community. Over the past three years, with unwavering support from local and global partners and the dedication of community members, ReDI School NRW has made a significant social impact within the NRW region. By empowering learners and providing them with the necessary skills for success, ReDI School NRW is transforming lives and driving positive change.
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Childcare was available at the event!
Thank you all for joining the Demo Day Spring 2023!
Presenters
Paridokht Bararpour, Moderator, ReDI student in Machine Learning course
Raiza Sawit, Moderator, ReDI student in React course
Takuya Furukawa, Educational Director, ReDI School NRW
Andreas Wagner, Branch President, Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V., German Branch
Hayley Spire, Panel Moderator, Head of Community Development, ReDI School NRW
Anas Fawzy, Panel Moderator, Tech Education Lead, ReDI School NRW
Ayse Engel, Managing Director Retail, Socialpreneur, Accenture
Claudia Betcke, Global Digital Transformation, Henkel dx, Henkel
Harun Tarim, Willkommenslotse, Ausbildungsberatung, -stellenvermittlung und projekte, IHK Düsseldorf
Rebekka Olbrich, Manager Philanthropies Germany, Microsoft
Nkonye Gbadegoye, Intern at Cisco Systems, Inc., ReDI student in JavaScript course
Alina Lata, ReDI teacher in Cloud Computing and Computer for Work courses, DevOps Engineer at Henkel
Laura Isabel Voss, Program Manager, Kids and Youth Program in Duisburg, ReDI School NRW
Valeriia Kompaniiets, Program Manager, Ukrainian Kids and Youth Workshops, ReDI School NRW
Filiz Ünal, Juror, ReDI teacher in Infrastructure Basics course, Digital Workplace Associate Manager at Accenture
Girish Kalamati, Juror, ReDI teacher in Cloud Computing teacher, Cloud Solution Architect at Henkel dx
Mohannad Raed, Juror, ReDI teacher in Intro to Python course, Application Development Specialist Team Lead at Accenture
Olena Buchak, Program Manager, Digital Women Program, ReDI School NRW
Khatera Rahimi, ReDI student in Computer im Alltag course
Francisca Oyediya Ogbonnaya-Agu, ReDI student in Computer for Work course
Parisa Nazarova, ReDI student in Social Media Marketing course
Abdullah Albeedh, Student Community Manager, Digital Career Program, ReDI School NRW
Hebtalla Fallah, ReDI student in UX/UI Design Basics course
Mande Bequinte, ReDI student in UX/UI Design Intermediate course
Judith Ogwuda, ReDI student in HTML and CSS course
Andrii Potykun, ReDI student in JavaScript course
Esra Öztürk, ReDI student in React course
Chiamaka Gift, ReDI student in Introduction to Python course
Xiao Zhuang Huang, ReDI student in Machine Learning course
Salam Thaer Nemah Al Aridhee, ReDI student in Cloud Computing course
Photo credit: Chris Göttert Fotografie
