The 16 strong 2018 STEMship cohort recently visited Hunter industry to gain an understanding of the scope of the roles they will undertake during the four week work placement component of the program.


 
The group of 16 and 17 year olds, that, since the beginning of May, has been engaged in the TAFE NSW module of the pre-employment program, visited some of the Hunter’s leading defence industry and manufacturing sector companies partnering in the program.
 
Thales, Varley Group, Civmec, UAVAir Pty Ltd, Hedweld Group and Port Waratah Coal Services hosted the cohort to demonstrate the breadth of opportunities available within the sector and their organisations as well as the roles participants will undertake during their placements. Participants also met some of the teams they will be immersed in during their on-the-job stints.
 
“The industry component of the STEMship program is crucial to showing participants what it’s really like working day-to-day in the defence and manufacturing sector in leading Hunter companies. The theoretical component of the program is invaluable and we couldn’t graduate participants without it, but actually being on the job and contributing to real project outcomes is something that can’t be emulated in the classroom.” said RDA Hunter’s STEM Workforce Manager Rick Evans. 

As part of STEMship participants also undertook a workshop on enterprise and employability skills on Friday 8th June. Michelle Wilson, Career Pathways, Aboriginal Languages and Employability Skills at TAFE NSW conducted the workshop that included 8 employability skills and personal attributes, career portfolios and objectives as well as preparing for a job.