The recently held 2019 Edinburgh Air Show had provided South Australian students the opportunity to learn more about future careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
According to a recent press release, around 600 students participated in the Astro-STEM day as part of the event.
For the first time ever, the Royal Australian Air Force worked together with South Australian universities, TAFE, and industry partners to inspire South Australian students to pursue opportunities in our booming space and defence sectors.
Building the South Australian Workforce
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall explained that there was nothing more critical in South Australia than building the workforce needed to embrace the opportunities that would flow from living in SA, the Defence and Space state.
The students are not learning about the jobs of the future for these are the jobs right now.
Astro-STEM aims to inspire in young people a love for STEM subjects and the technology that knowledge allows, so they can start dreaming of the next big leap forward.
South Australia is now home to the Australian Space Agency, SmartSat CRC, Mission Control and the Space Discovery Centre. The State can be likened to Australia’s Cape Canaveral.
The expanding defence and space sectors are presenting unprecedented opportunities for South Australians right now, across the community.
The State Government has a laser-like focus on creating opportunities for young people in the years ahead.
Opportunity to Engage in STEM
- Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni explained how STEM Day provided students with an exciting opportunity to engage with STEM subjects.
- This is the first time that this event has been held in SA and it should be expanded to include more schools and particularly to involve primary school students.
- South Australia is benefiting from huge job opportunities in science and technology-related industries, not least of all in the defence and space sectors.
- This opportunity should be given to young people so they can take full advantage.
- Education will play a vital role in developing the future workforce and the State Government is committed to aligning educational opportunities to emerging industries.
- The majority of growth industries require STEM knowledge, and the event delivered STEM learning opportunities in a fun and engaging way.
Astro-STEM Day
The Astro-STEM program targets students from years 8, 9 and 10, with 38 schools registered. It included several opportunities for students to explore the following:
- VR flight simulators and maintenance training
- Mixed reality HoloLens demo
- Augmented Reality experience
- Drone Racing
- Military aircraft displays
- Centre of gravity – rocket and aircraft experiments
- Info on high-tech career pathways in aviation and aerospace
- A navigation challenge
- More about high tech career pathways in aviation and aerospace
