The Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida opened the new Orange Foundation GarageLab at IES Francisco Tomás y Valiente.
The Orange Foundation and IES Francisco Tomás y Valiente has created a new GarageLab in Madrid. The GarageLab is an Orange Foundation initiative which provides the required training and equipment to centres and schools which are part of the Second Chance Schools Network - public, state-assisted or private centres, as well as educational foundations and associations. Through the FabLab environment and the Maker movement, they can develop a proposal for their students to transform teaching, learning and personal development processes.
The presentation was attended by the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, the Director of IES Francisco Tomás y Valiente, Tomás Alonso Pérez, and the CEO of Orange Spain, Jean François Fallacher. They unveiled the new GarageLab equipped with digital production hardware (3D printers, laser cutter, vinyl cutter), which will be used to train teachers and students in digital technology and educational methods. During the launch, the young people themselves talked about their experience and showed the work created there.
Federico Salcines, an electrical engineering teacher at IES Tomás y Valiente, explained the transformation of this new GarageLab space to Mr Martinez-Almeida and Mr Fallacher: "The essential aspect of these courses is that they leave believing that they are able to devise, design and produce."
The Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida expressed his appreciation for the project: "We are very thankful to Orange and its foundation for its community involvement and commitment to digital development in Spain and Madrid."
22 GarageLabs in Spain
This new GarageLab was created as a result of the GarageLabs 2019-20 Call for Applications. There are now 9 Orange Foundation GarageLabs in the Community of Madrid. In Spain, 22 education centres now have a room like this, and it is hoped that this figure will rise to 31 by the end of the year.
The Orange Foundation is firmly committed to the project, driving and providing essential support: knowledge, training, equipment, etc. On its part, IES Francisco Tomás y Valiente has been able to incorporate digital production as an additional educational tool within the activities offered by the Second Chance School.
Students from the different courses include the GarageLab cross-functionally as part of their training, within the framework of the entity’s educational methodology.
More information in the press release.