Careers News
Virtual Volunteering: Schlumberger Supports Distance Learning and Education Outreach Initiatives during COVID-19
With many schools and educational institutions now closed due to the outbreak of COVID-19, students are trying to keep up with their studies through distance learning. But what happens when they do not have access to online resources?
“Approximately 19% of Tulsa County, near where we are located in Oklahoma, US, does not have Internet access," says Kathleen Henry, Learning Center Manager at the Schlumberger Kellyville facility. “So, to enable local school children to access educational material, we have partnered with the Tulsa Public Schools and the Tulsa Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Alliance to provide educational programming on the local public access TV station.”
To help inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, Schlumberger learning center instructors are broadcasting four educational sessions live on the local TV channel to support community learning. To enable social distancing, the instructors are broadcasting the sessions live from their homes. Thanks to our diverse employee base, the team is providing multiple segments in both English and Spanish.
In Béziers, France, employees from Cameron have arranged for refurbished computers and screens to be donated to a local school so that students can continue to learn virtually with their teachers. To keep spirits up, the Béziers team is also supporting a local art campaign whereby drawings created by employees’ children are mailed to residents of retirement homes in the area. And in Scotland, the OneSubsea team is encouraging families to look out for their neighbors by sending postcards, letters, and drawings from their children.
Schlumberger Excellence in Education Development (SEED) is an educational program that engages employees, educators, retirees, and volunteers around the world to share their passion for learning and science with students in their local communities. The SEED team has been busy creating educational initiatives to support and inspire young people as they adapt to learning remotely. For example, students recently participated in a competition to create robotic models from their homes.
In Mexico, a SEED-trained facilitator has continued to virtually lead the robotics and science SEED club at a local secondary school in Villahermosa, where he is a teacher. The club, made up of students ages 12 to 23, has recently completed several different projects covering themes such as recyclable materials, electronics, and mobile apps.
The SEED team also launched the ‘stay safe at home’ video competition—a chance for the children of our employees to create videos explaining how their family is staying safe during COVID-19. The aim is to help students feel empowered and reinforce that they have a part to play in supporting their families through these challenging times.
Schlumberger strives to be a unifying voice for global stewardship in the communities where we live and work. Learn more about how our locations worldwide are supporting their communities in response to COVID-19 here. You can also discover more about our educational projects around the world.
PUBLISH DATE
2020