iSTEM students from RDA Hunter’s ME Program have recently participated in the first Wedgetail In-Service Support (WISS) Work Experience trial at Boeing Defence’s Williamtown facility.
Year 10 iSTEM students from Maitland Grossman, Hunter River and St Paul’s High Schools enjoyed a week of activities, interviews and excursions designed to introduce them to the ‘World of Work’ whilst gaining exposure to Boeing experts in the areas of engineering, logistics, training, maintenance and operations.
The students enjoyed early morning flights in the Wedgetail simulator, tours around the aircraft and labs, and visit to the F/A-18 Deeper Maintenance Hangar. These were combined with briefs from various WISS Team members who shared their stories, career options and pathways taken to get where they are today.
Since the beginning of the year, Robert Maidstone from the WISS Quality & Improvement team has been working with the ME Program, a Regional Development Australia Hunter program in the Hunter region, to complete his Boeing Leadership Development Program project for a School Mentoring Program designed to encourage and influence more students into STEM related subjects during their secondary school years.
Mr Maidstone said the work experience trial was a great success and received positive feedback from the students.
“The week not only highlighted the importance of STEM skills required for Boeing jobs of the future, but also demonstrated the criticality of core non-technical skills like team-work, communication and problem-solving,” said Mr Maidstone.
“Through supporting local STEM Action Schools in the Hunter area, offering work experience opportunities and school visits, and contextualising the iSTEM syllabus taught in those schools, Boeing is working to ensure the future aerospace talent pipeline in the area.”