Pepper Promotes Jobs Of The Future
Pepper, a four-foot tall humanoid robot, interacted with students at Davidson Elementary School Tuesday as part of C Spire’s initiative to encourage students to pursue jobs in technology and computer science. Martin Guzman and Nicole Hughes (blue shirts), both junior developers at C Spire and 2017 Base Camp graduates, were among the C Spire Pepper Pros who take the robot out for promotional and educational events. – Photo by David Howell
By David Howell
Editor
WATER VALLEY – An unusual visitor stopped by Davidson Elementary School to visit with students Tuesday. Pepper, a four-foot tall humanoid robot, interacted with students as part of the C Spire Tech Movement initiative to help inspire and educate students on the tremendous need and opportunity in the area of computer science and information technology jobs.
Pepper has a body and arms that move in 17 directions and a head filled with sensors and doe-like eyes accented by lights. He talks, dances and even answers questions. The robot can tell if you are happy or sad and detect by the tone of your voice if there is a problem.
C Spire acquired four of the robots last year from Softbank Robotics America to show students how AI, machine learning, robotics and coding are driving 21st Century innovations in information technology that are changing the world.
C Spire company officials hope to encourage students to pursue academics studies and careers in information technology in Mississippi, where there are currently over 1,200 unfilled, high-paying job openings due to a serious shortage of trained, qualified IT workers.
Ironically two of the Pepper Pros operating the pair of Peppers Tuesday at DES were Base Camp Coding Academy 2017 graduates. Nicole Hughes and Martin Guzman, both junior developers at C Spire, were among the first graduates of Water Valley’s Base Camp last May and are part of the team that takes the Peppers to promotional and educational events.
Over 160 students in second to sixth grades met Pepper during the four-hour demonstration as C Spire promoted jobs of the future in digital technology.
“If we hope to move Mississippi forward, technology and these types of jobs will be a big part of the answer,” explained Dave Miller, Senior Media Relations Manager at C Spire.
