Nonprofit education organisation King's School West Rand has unveiled a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) laboratory designed, planned and built in collaboration with technology education company Forge Academy & Labs.

The Forge Academy-equipped 4IR lab offers students exposure to the latest immersive learning experiences driven by cutting-edge technology.

Specifically, the facility is equipped with technologies and software that prepare students of all ages for future employment opportunities. The lab includes three-dimensional (3D) printing capabilities, robotics, coding stations and virtual reality (VR) technology systems.

Teachers have undergone extensive training by Forge Academy to deliver 4IR education in the areas of software development and coding, robotics and automation, game development and VR, 3D design and digital manufacturing and AI and data science.

With the future skills development programmes for its pupils that cover the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) curriculum, King's School West Rand can now offer extracurricular activities for pupils wanting to move further into the world of technology, Forge Academy says.

“The digital landscape is continually evolving. Our students are excited to dive right into the immersive learning experiences in our new lab. 4IR labs like these are essential for equipping the next generation to thrive in the digital economy,” comments King’s School West Rand principal Philip Theron.

Further, the school operates a successful teacher programme that employs 30 interns a year and places them into various previously disadvantaged community schools nationwide, including in Pretoria, Soweto, East London, Port Alfred and Cape Town.

The next phase of its partnership with Forge Academy & Labs is a future skills programme to equip these teachers to deliver 4IR skills within these schools, Theron says.

“The King's School West Rand shares Forge Academy & Labs' vision of preparing students for the digital economy by integrating cutting-edge technology into learning. This partnership ensures that students get equipped with the skills needed to thrive in the 4IR,” says Forge Academy & Labs CEO Craig Clutty.

“We look forward to the next phase of our project.”

Meanwhile, Forge Academy & Labs has partnered with the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority and is mandated to deliver more labs like this one for several technical and vocational education and training colleges.

Forge Academy consults with educators and industry experts and then designs curricula that align with the technology and serve the needs of the school, its faculty and its students, the company says.