Tata Consultancy Services, (TCS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital education content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, announced the launch of their Ignite My Future in School initiative in partnership with Cornell Tech. Through this program, New York City teachers will receive professional development, educational resources and year-round support to integrate computational thinking into core subjects such as math, sciences, arts, and social studies. In turn, students will learn foundational skills for 21st century careers – across industries – through this pioneering approach.

“To ensure children are prepared to enter the workforce of tomorrow we need teachers who are equipping them with the skills and knowledge to succeed, such as computational thinking and problem solving concepts,” said Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. “I applaud TCS for bringing the Ignite My Future in School program to New York City schools, teachers and students. As a major technology employer across the US, TCS knows firsthand what skills are required for today’s and tomorrow’s workforce and is working across the country to address the STEM and computer science skills gap.”

“Computers are no longer the future; they are here and they are running the show,” said Council Member Ben Kallos, District 5 (UES/Roosevelt Island).

“Integrating computational thinking into math, science, and arts curricula is the only way the current and future generations of students will learn these skills. What TCS and Discovery Education are doing through the Ignite My Future in School initiative is phenomenal and will for sure have a profound, positive impact on the lives of many teachers and students who get to participate. I hope this becomes a model for the city and the nation.”

The newly inaugurated Tata Innovation Center at Cornell Tech will host more than 100 educators from New York City today, beginning with three school districts in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Local teachers will have the chance to apply computational thinking during the Day of Discovery, participating in hands-on activities while accessing lesson plans and classroom resources.

“At Cornell Tech, we are committed to broadening participation in computing through partnerships with K-12 public schools,” said Diane Levitt, Senior Director of K-12 Education at Cornell Tech. “We want every student to have the content, skills, and strategies to build something digital that has meaning to them. We’re so excited about sharing Ignite My Future in School with NYC teachers because it makes integrating computational thinking engaging for students, with a low barrier to entry for teachers.”

The Park Slope Education Complex at MS88 in Brooklyn will serve as the program’s anchor school for this potential citywide initiative encouraging career readiness while empowering students for 21st century careers. Computational thinking provides a solid foundation in all subjects especially computer science, opening up future opportunities with innovative digital technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain and Cybersecurity. By neatly embedding curriculums and consistently reinforcing critical thinking, Ignite My Future in School hopes to bridge the talent gap and develop relevant skills for the 21st century.

“Creating pathways for students to gain skills that power today’s digital economy is essential to their success and the future of the nation,” said BalajiGanapathy, Head of Workforce Effectiveness, TCS. “I applaud the early adopters from across NYC DOE schools for their forward thinking, as well as Cornell Tech for their support in making this a true partnership across industry, academia and education.”

These select schools have the unique opportunity of learning and applying computational thinking through an annual free day of professional development for educators and community night for guardians. Additionally, TCS and Discovery Education have launched the digital platform, IgniteMyFutureInSchool.org to provide teachers nationwide with an exclusive, cost-free, virtual professional development experience that includes lesson plans, curriculum resources, eLearning courses, and webinars. These resources are aligned to national standards, as well as the recently launched K-12 Computer Science Framework.

On a National level, Ignite My Future in School has a goal of engaging 20,000 teachers and one million U.S. students by 2021. As a first step towards this objective, TCS and Discovery Education partnered with U.S. school systems in California, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin as early adopters of this transdisciplinary approach. Since September 2017, the program has engaged over 3,300 educators impacting more than 185,000 students. In addition, educators from all 50 states and Washington D.C. have downloaded the lesson plans and modules available on IgniteMyFutureInSchool.org.