Page 9 - Marlborough Chamber of Commece Annual Report 2022

Marlborough Chamber of Commerce

EMPOWER TE

RANGAPIKIKŌTUKU

In 2022, Marlborough hosted its first-ever esports
and coding festival. Empower Te Rangapikikōtuku,
which was organised by the Marlborough Chamber,
took place over the course of two days and
featured a range of activities and events for over
500 esports fans and aspiring coders.

The festival kicked off with an opening ceremony, where attendees had the opportunity to meet
professional esports players and learn about the latest trends and developments in the industry. The
main event was a series of esports tournaments, where teams of players competed against each
other in popular games such as Rocket League and Mario Kart. The festival also featured a range of
workshops and talks on coding and technology. These were led by industry experts and covered a
range of topics, from the basics of coding to more advanced topics such as artificial intelligence and
machine learning.

The workshops were particularly popular among secondary school students, who are increasingly
recognising the importance of having strong tech skills in today's job market. By attending the
workshops, these students were able to learn about the various careers available in the tech
industry and gain valuable skills that will be useful in their future careers. In addition to providing
career insights, the workshops also helped to foster a love of learning and problem-solving in the
students. The hands-on nature of the workshops allowed students to experiment with different
technologies and learn through doing, which can be a highly engaging and effective way of
teaching. The workshops were a valuable resource for secondary school students looking to
develop their tech skills. By providing practical, hands-on learning opportunities, the workshops
helped to prepare these students for the challenges and opportunities of the modern job market.

Planning for Empower 2023 is already underway and is sure to be even bigger and better!

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