Pupils from a Pembrokeshire School are being introduced to the world of renewable energy and marine conservation thanks to the Minecraft Education world ‘Offshore Wind Power Challenge’ – a collaboration between The Crown Estate and Microsoft UK.
Available in Welsh and English, the Minecraft Education world helps pupils gain a deeper understanding of climate change and the natural environment, and encourages them to explore careers in engineering, sustainability, and conservation – all whilst planning and building their own offshore wind farm to power a coastal village!
And now, the Minecraft Education world ‘Offshore Wind Power Challenge’ has been given a boost with additional learning resources aimed at younger learners which align with the Welsh curriculum, and lesson plans for teachers to help them adopt the learning into their classrooms.
As part of their focus on developing skills to support the energy transition for students across Wales, The Crown Estate partnered with educational experts, Dosbarth, who created the new learning materials and are delivering taster lessons in schools across Wales, including to year 6 pupils at Ysgol Bro Penfro in Pembroke.
Ensuring that the Welsh language is relevant in the digital world is central to the Welsh Government’s goal to reach one million Welsh speakers by 2050.
Renewable energy is a growing industry in Wales and a new generation of floating offshore windfarms is set to be established in the Celtic Sea through The Crown Estate’s current seabed leasing round.
Sam Kurtz, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire said: “With Pembrokeshire well positioned to play a leading role in the Floating Offshore Wind developments in the Celtic Sea it is right that we work with the younger generations to get them excited by the jobs that will be created by this new industry.
“The Crown Estate, Microsoft UK, and Dosbarth are to be congratulated for this forward-thinking initiative which not only educates young people about renewable energy but will also inspire them to explore careers in sustainability, engineering, and marine conservation.
“By engaging students in this fun and creative way, the Offshore Wind Power Challenge will help the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed for a greener future.”
Rebecca Williams, Director of Devolved Nations at The Crown Estate, said: “This Minecraft Education world provides students and teachers with a fun way to explore the opportunities and challenges involved in delivering our energy transition whilst protecting and restoring our natural environment, through the languages that are most relevant to them.
“We hope this initiative will inspire young people to develop their skills and passion and introduce them to some of the green career opportunities in renewable energy.”
Karen Jones, Managing Director of Dosbarth, said: “By creating new learning materials for younger audiences, which align to the Welsh curriculum and easily accessible lesson plans for busy teachers we think that these resources in both Welsh and English, will reach an even bigger audience of pupils across Wales, helping to inspire the next generation of thinkers, problem-solvers, and environmental leaders.”