NEWCASTLE HERALD BUSINESS OPINION BY TODD WILLIAMS
Globalisation and smart technology change the way we live and are re-shaping our future. As jobs evolve and tasks become automated, our focus on people remains the highest priority. Educating young people is critical to the Hunter’s performance in a global economy.
Understanding how the skills for one occupation can be transferred to another growing sector is an important element of labour mobility. Training must instil fundamental competencies that can be applied in a range of workplaces.
The Hunter’s Smart Specialisation Strategy identifies, “STEM, entrepreneurship and digital literacy [as] an essential bundle of skills… for the Hunter workforce to be equipped for the globally competitive jobs of the future”.
Today’s students will be tomorrow’s workforce. This emerging talent pool expects to have several jobs, not one career for life. It is therefore critical for these future workers to be aware of possibilities within occupational clusters. Actively combining classroom teaching with workplace experiences delivers this awareness as well as careers focused outcomes for students and industry.
RDA Hunter’s ME Program addresses the region’s requirement for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) qualified, job-ready young people. Now partnering 42 of the Hunter’s secondary schools with 30 Hunter based industry partners, the ME Program has seen subject participation increase, results improve and STEM subjects become a first choice for students since its inception in 2010.
These outstanding results are due, in part, to iSTEM – the ME Program’s senior school subject. Incorporating mechatronics, aerodynamics, engineering, 3DCAD/CAM and motion modules, iSTEM will be taught in more than 90 schools nationally in 2017. The Program’s school-based, industry focused activities include Quberider Workshops, Electric Vehicle Festival activities, Build ME a Future Days and the BAE Systems Aerospace Careers Day.
Staged in conjunction with BAE Systems Australia, the ME Program BAE Systems Aerospace Careers Day is being held on June 24 and will engage 360 students in hands-on STEM activities at BAE Systems and Fighter World. It will introduce school students to practical and workplace relevant applications of their STEM skills as well as career opportunities and pathways in defence and advanced manufacturing.
View the Newcastle Herald article http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3978875/stem-skills-for-a-future-career/?cs=4200