Mielec, October 10, 2018 – Students from Mielec high school visited PZL Mielec on October 6th to compete in a Code Quest competition meant to test their computer programming skills and give them a glimpse of how their passion for coding could translate into a career.
“Today’s high school students will be among the first humans to set foot on Mars,” said Leslie Pontillas, Lockheed Martin chief information officer. “From launching spacecraft to put astronauts on other planets, to programming robots to assist in dangerous explorations, coding will play an integral role in exploring the next frontier.”
Lockheed Martin developed Code Quest to challenge and inspire students as part of its focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) outreach. Students worked in small teams through a set of coding challenges developed by Lockheed Martin information technology professionals. During the competition, the PZL IT professionals supported students and also cheered them while solving tasks.
“The Code Quest competition organized by Lockheed Martin gives young people a unique opportunity to test their programming and coding abilities. I am glad that students from Mielec could take part in it "- said Janusz Zakrecki, PZL Mielec President, General Director. "This is another initiative after the Children's Technical University, in which we are involved, to promote interest in science among children and teens, so important for the development of future technical staff for industry."
Lockheed Matin currently employs 49,000 engineers, scientists and information technology professionals. It plans to hire tens of thousands of people in STEM-related fields in the next five years. To support this, Lockheed Martin has invested $70 million over the last five years in STEM programs intended to help create the next generation of engineers and scientists who will help solve tomorrow’s challenges.
The Code Quest competition took place in PZL Mielec for the first time. Every year, similar events take place at all Lockheed Martin locations around the world. In 2018 the first round of the competition took place in April, and a total of 1,500 students took part in it.
Students from the team from Technikum No. 3 of the Technical School in Mielec won the local competition. The next Code Quest campaign will take place in April 2019.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
