Igniting a passion in young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is the focus of a new program being run in Western Sydney by TAFE NSW and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, as part of the Generation STEM initiative.

The CSIRO STEM Taster Program is a seven-week course for secondary students to trial careers in technology and design, manufacturing and engineering, nursing, dental assisting, sterilisation, healthcare and fitness science.

Students from three high schools – Penola Catholic College, St Dominic’s College and Jamison High School – will use state-of-the art equipment and exciting learning tools such as simulations, 3D printing, and robotics to explore these fields of study at TAFE NSW Kingswood and Mt Druitt.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with CSIRO and invite students onto our TAFE NSW campuses in the hope we can spark their interest in STEM careers,” TAFE Services Manager Nicole Pearce said.

“Having the opportunity to experiment in these fields of study enables students to visualise what a job would look like and learn how TAFE NSW can help them forge a career they love. We want to inspire these young people through hands-on learning and ensure vocational education and training is front of mind when they are considering future training and career pathways.”

The STEM Taster Program is part of the Generation STEM 10-year initiative delivered by CSIRO to attract, support, train and retain NSW students in STEM and school, into further education and employment, and made possible by a $25 million endowment from the NSW Government to the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF).

CSIRO Director of Education and Outreach, Ruth Carr, said STEM skills are already in high demand, growing 1.5 times faster than demand for other jobs, and training our future STEM workforce needs to begin now.

“This program is another important step in developing NSW’s future STEM leaders,” Ms Carr said.

“As we move into an era of fast-paced technological change, an innovative STEM-skilled workforce will be essential for the growth of our nation and economic prosperity.

“This program with TAFE NSW provides young students in Western Sydney with exposure to real-world applications of STEM and we hope to see that energise a new generation to pursue these fields of study.”

Explore hundreds of courses and pursue your passion with life-changing training at TAFE NSW. For more information visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601.

For more information about Generation STEM, contact generationSTEM@csiro.au.

Media contact: Terra Sword, Communications Specialist. Phone: 6623 0325. Email: terra.sword@tafensw.edu.au.