BAE Systems Australia is expanding its science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) outreach program with immersive technology company, Lumination, to young people in Victoria.
This means more than 600 students in years 4-6 across Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales will benefit from the Beacon program this year, which involves in-school learning and intensive STEM focused camps.
Beacon focuses on young people aged between eight and 11, helping them understand more about technology early in their education and to encourage more children from diverse backgrounds to consider STEM subjects.
“Encouraging STEM is incredibly important, particularly to students who are sometimes under-represented in the field," South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer said.
“This program makes STEM interesting and accessible for students and exposes them to career paths in which there will be significant demand, now and well into the future."
Last year, almost half of all participating students were female and 6 per cent were Indigenous children, BAE Systems said. Around 80 per cent of those who took part said they would now choose a future STEM career.
“I am really pleased to see solid interest from Indigenous students and the high number of girls participating in the program," BAE Systems Australia Chief People Officer, Angela Wiggins, said.
“STEM studies encourage problem solving and innovation and these are the skills that Australian industry needs today and in the future and will underpin the nation’s future prosperity.
“With Beacon, we aim to inspire early interest and enthusiasm for STEM subjects so that later those students might pursue highly skilled, well paid careers in engineering and ICT.”
“We are proud of the impact this program has had in its inaugural year," Lumination Chief Executive Officer, Edward Carlson, added. "Not only does it work to increase equitable access to emerging technology, it ensures a strong local supply of students pursuing STEM career opportunities, which is required to compete and engage in the global economy.
“With the recent AUKUS announcement, we have an opportunity to work with schools to equip them with the technology necessary for their students to build skills for the future. By inviting students to create solutions that impact air, land, and sea here in Australia, we are setting them up for success.”