Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are the underpinnings of an advanced society and indicators of its ability to sustain itself and prosper. Founded in 2009, Broadcom Foundation advances equitable access to STEM education and promotes coding as the 21st Century+ skill.
Digital literacy has become increasingly important for every individual to communicate, acquire an education, find meaningful employment, and be an active participant in modern society. Broadcom Foundation characterizes digital literacy as the confident use of the full range of digital technologies including some basic knowledge of coding. Coding empowers young people to be creative STEM problem solvers who can think critically, communicate, collaborate, be persistent, and become experts in the digital world.
Equitable access to broadband internet promises to open doors to women, under-represented and under-resourced youth in urban, rural, and tribal communities, so that they can become digitally literate competitors for highly skilled STEM jobs in emerging industries built on technologies of the future. To this end, Broadcom Foundation is teaming up with the Raspberry Pi Foundation and ScienceBuddies.org to promote their free online tools for children everywhere, with a focus on after-school code clubs where children in grades 5-8 have optimal project-based learning time to develop the coding skills they need to become fully digitally literate.
Through Code Clubs and foundation-sponsored science fairs, Broadcom Foundation encourages civic awareness in STEM through Broadcom Coding with Commitment®, which inspires middle schoolers to use coding skills to solve community problems they care about that align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Broadcom Coding with Commitment™ teaches young people to act locally and think globally, opens opportunities for strategic collaborations with STEM Learning Ecosystem stakeholders, and increases volunteer opportunities for Broadcom Inc. employees around the world.
