With women representing only 16 per cent of Australia’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce, North Metropolitan TAFE (NM TAFE) took action in late 2019 by hosting a “Girls in STEM” event for female school students.
More than 100 girls from 11 Perth schools attended the event at our East Perth campus on Friday 6 September 2019.
The enthusiastic Year 9s and 10s participated in a range of hands-on STEM activities in areas such as animation, mining, engineering, surveying and robotics.
The event is a joint initiative between NM TAFE, the Department of Education Pathways Program and is supported by Scitech and Rio Tinto.
“We want to encourage young people, especially women like you, to choose training pathways that will lead to jobs in the STEM sector,” said NM TAFE Managing Director Michelle Hoad.
“STEM subjects aren’t just for the Einstein’s of the world. The STEM industry needs people who can imagine, create and explore concepts. It’s a hands-on career that actually makes a difference to address problems like climate change, medicine, famine and disease.”
“Girls in STEM” is directed at secondary school students with the aim of encouraging and promoting female participation in the science and technology areas from a young age, as well as raising the profile of VET as a successful pathway for any career.
Students spent the day experimenting with different components of STEM courses and careers, such as animation, mining, engineering, surveying and robotics.
They created virtual sparks using a virtual welder, sculpted a 3D character from a piece of digital clay and saw how we are using drones and scanner technology in surveying.
Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery attended the event to ensure school students that STEM is one of the WA Government’s priority areas.
“We need to ensure that all Western Australians are equipped with the right skills to grow the State’s economy and participate in our future workforce. Increasing opportunities for women in STEM is essential to our economy and to achieve gender equality,” she said.
We thank North Metropolitan TAFE for contributing this information and accompanying media. We acknowledge that this content has not been altered from the original intent of the author.
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