Young millennials and Gen Z have already made their minds up about their future. Thanks to the thousands of resources available to them in the classroom and outside it, these children are highly aspirational and passionate about their career paths. When the education management company Bloombloom set up FEST: The School of Innovators for children between the ages of 6 and 18, it was to guide the next generation of creators, innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders through this journey of discovery.
Founded in 2016, Bloombloom's vision has been to identify such skills and talents. Founder R Abhilash says, "As the world’s first university of collaborative education, we aggregate the knowledge resources scattered across the globe, standardise them and deliver them through our online platform and offline too through B-Hub, a co-learning and working space. At a time when students and parents are looking for new ways to widen their educational horizon, the traditional education system only gives importance to theoretical knowledge. But industries need out-of-the-box thinking, creativity and practicality. Children, these days, are required to explore beyond the four walls of the classroom."
He continues, "We call it the school of innovators because through a structured, long-term programme, we intend to nurture creators, innovators, change-makers and leaders of tomorrow. It's a new-age, innovation driven company. We are trying to build a new kind of culture among these kids. And it has to happen before they are 13 or 16 because you can't just adapt to it in a few months at an engineering college. These are the kind of skills needed for the future.
Through FEST, children get an opportunity to learn what they love with the help of the best resources in the world. Through live sessions, the platform helps children build a bridge between information gathered through conventional schooling and reality. Their classrooms ensure holistic development by delivering a curriculum that is curated with the help of industry leaders and experts from various fields. Through the programme, students explore a range of futuristic subjects like Astrophysics, Coding, Game Development, Arts and Governance.
During this comprehensive learning process, students also get the opportunity to experience real-life application-driven activities and challenges. In addition to this, they are mentored by experts from the industry of their liking. After one year of successfully taking part in the programme, FEST also offers the students internship opportunities. Abhilash concludes, "FEST gives young children a nudge in the right direction for them to follow their dreams and excel in fields they are passionate about. While conventional schooling shows the child the crescent Moon, FEST helps the child see the depths and heights on the Moon!"