Sage and The Hundred deliver unique opportunity to four South East teenagers
Last week Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) and official insights partner of The Hundred, delivered a STEM learning initiative with a difference, which offered four teenagers a truly unique opportunity at this summer’s action-packed cricket tournament.
Adding to their successful roster of STEM initiatives delivered across the UK and internationally, Sage’s new initiative, ‘Decision Makers of Tomorrow’, saw four 16-18 year olds from the South East participate in a five-day initiative run in collaboration with the England and Wales Cricket Board, organisers of The Hundred.
In the UK, the STEM sector is made up of some of the most productive jobs in the economy that rely on expertise in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Industrial Strategy Council, 2019) and encompass a variety of careers from the health service to software developers. The demand for these roles is projected to increase in line with advances in technology and our ageing population and by 2035, over 1.9 million STEM professionals will be needed in the UK alone (STEM Learning, 2024), which by current projections we are not likely to reach.
The participants were selected in partnership with Teens in AI, a social impact-driven initiative that inspires teens to explore a future in responsible tech and AI through collaborative, hands-on learning experiences. They spent time with a variety of influential decision makers involved in the most innovative cricket tournament in the world, including coaches, captains, umpires, broadcasters and analysts.
The five-day experience began at the world-famous Lord’s Cricket Ground, with sessions designed to highlight how critical decisions are made in real time during a match day. The ECB team showcased how their event production teams prepare for match days and how they have to react to different situations on and off the pitch, while the Sky Sports broadcast team explained how the Sky talent roster of presenters and pundits work alongside the technicians and production staff to bring hours of television coverage to millions at home.
The second part of the initiative was spent with Sage’s strategic sports technology partner, Sportable, where the participants explored how their groundbreaking smart-ball technology enhances sports around the world, and the impact it’s having on the future of the sports industry, and was followed by a visit to Sage’s London office in The Shard where they met with their Early Careers team.
Cadence Willis, VP at Sage Foundation, comments “Our new ‘Sage Decision Makers of Tomorrow’ initiative marks another advancement for Sage Foundation and our work in advocating and enabling STEM learning. Sage Foundation focuses on helping to inspire and support the entrepreneurs of tomorrow and what better way to do that than embedding them with professional athletes and sporting experts who live and breathe pressured decision making every day within one of the most exciting and fastest growing tournaments in the world.
“The Hundred attracts thousands of fans across the UK each summer and Sage’s partnership celebrates the decision making that sits at its very core - from captains choosing their fielding decisions under pressure, to directors choosing camera angles, to umpires having to decide if someone is out using the latest technology and insights. Sage prides itself on helping its customers with smarter, faster decision making in business and our Sage Decision Makers of Tomorrow will not only gain a once in a lifetime sporting experience, but an unbelievable opportunity to spend time and learn from those involved in all aspects of professional sport on and off the pitch.”
Alex Perkins, Commercial Director at the Hundred, comments “The Hundred is proud of its record in bringing new people to cricket, through new ideas, initiatives and ways of doing things. In the first year, 55% of ticket buyers were new to cricket and last year 41% of tickets were for families, 23% for children and 30% for women. We’re excited to be supporting Sage’s Decision Makers of Tomorrow initiative at The Hundred this year by providing access to those who are involved in taking the sport to new audiences, from team analyststo the TV pundits, the players and the match officials. This is literally STEM learning in real life at one of the biggest sporting events of the summer.”
Elena Sinel, the Founder and CEO of Teens in AI said "At Teens in AI, we are dedicated to inspiring the next generation of responsible leaders in technology. Partnering with Sage for the 'Decision Makers of Tomorrow' initiative allows us to offer a unique and immersive experience that highlights the real-world applications of STEM and AI. Through this collaboration with one of the most innovative cricket tournaments, The Hundred, we provide our participants not just with knowledge, but with practical insights into how critical decisions are made under pressure, fostering skills that are essential for their future careers."
2024 marks Sage’s third year as official insights partner of The Hundred, a partnership that sees Sage bring fans closer to the big decisions on and off the pitch. Sage delivers insights on screen for viewers of Sky Sports and the BBC, as well as powering the DRS (Decision Review System) and bringing unique insights to millions of fans throughout the month-long tournament.
The Sage Decision Makers of Tomorrow initiative ran from Wednesday 31st July to Tuesday 6th August.