John Phillips - The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering - Atttracting students to STEM careers

Copyright © The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering Ltd www.TheWarrenCentre.org.au

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STEM – what is it really about?

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“A complex world riddled with problems that are not limited by national boundaries,

provides Australia with opportunities on a scale it never had before”



Capturing global opportunities

The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness report for 2013 – 2014: • Australia has fallen outside the top 20 for the first time • Australia ranks 34 out of 148 countries in relation to

‘availability of scientist and engineers’ • Australia ranks 23rd in capacity to innovate …in all these categories we rank lower than New Zealand

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“There is an urgent need to act if we are not to be left

behind.”



A robust supply chain

It has been estimated that 75% of the fastest growing occupations require STEM skills and knowledge… but industry can’t find those people.


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There is no nationally-connected platform, organisation or otherwise, for STEM in Australia. Our community is STEM illiterate, not grasping the importance and opportunity of STEM – this filters through to our next generations.



STEM – a whole concept

Science

Engineering

Maths

Technology


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• Application of ST&M • Project management • Systems • Process • Critical thinking

• Fundamentals • “Building blocks” • Process • Critical thinking • Scientific rigour

• Building blocks • Process • Critical thinking

• Applications • Process • Outcomes • Critical thinking

OPPORTUNITY



School • Primary • Secondary

Tertiary • VET/TAFE • University

Innovation Innovation

Pathways to Innovation


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STEM application

STEM understanding

STEM comprehension



Invention Vs Innovation

• Invention is the realm of research and discovery, basic science and the development of new ideas and knowledge.

• Innovation is the new and successful application of those ideas to address issues.

• Commonwealth spending and support, whilst often claimed as supporting innovation, in reality is heavily biased towards invention.

• Australia is a top performer in invention but not for innovation


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STEM Education Scan

• Market failure • Perverse consequences • Agreement on problems and reform • Solution repetition • Definitional confusion • Process driven and over-analysed • Lack of confidence • Silo practice • Fragmented and inconsistent support • Product/customer mis-match • Passionate teachers and supporters


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STEM Education

• Stop trying to define- or add to – the acronym. The sum is greater than its parts

• STEM Education - Bringing maths and science to life and providing context

• Context – absence of context is like teaching kids a vocabulary and how to spell, but then not teaching them how to write prose.


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What are STEM Careers?


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The real question is what careers or jobs in the future,

will NOT require an understanding of STEM!



The Warren Centre

• Bringing STEM education issues into the public domain since 2007.

• Researched the readiness of NSW trainee teachers to teach in a 21st Century digital and knowledge economy.

• Promoting a National STEM strategy. • Supporting the Australian Technologies

Curriculum


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We sent out a reactive media release linking TWC’s STEM education project to AWPA’s engineering report on 2 July 2014



What was it about?

• The whole supply chain • The AWPA report said “Australia does not current

face general shortages in engineering skills” • BUT there were some big issues

– Gender imbalance – Number of graduating engineers – STEM skills

• A huge problem if we are to be globally competitive


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The AFR ran a piece based primarily on the press release in print and online on July 7…




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…kickstarting a debate about STEM education across multiple technology industry and education professional platforms and boosting the program’s visibility



Key messages in the media coverage • National concern over our long term skills

capability = productivity concerns • Declining participation in STEM school subjects • Gender imbalance a long way from being solved • No national strategy or coordination • The “Zuckerberg” effect is relatable • One day later – SMH call for specialist primary

teachers


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Promoting innovation


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Our annual Innovation Lecture series engages school students throughout Australia illustrating the link between knowledge and a career. The 2014 Innovation Lecture series focuses on Australian engineer Enrico Palermo, who leads engineering operations for Virgin Galactic, the world’s first company building a fleet of commercial manned spaceships. As well as providing and promoting discounted tickets for school & uni students throughout Australia, we hold a dedicated schools event in Sydney designed to relate topics of real-life interest to school students’ STEM studies. Previous years’ speakers include the Chief Defence Scientist, the director of the Australian Centre for Feed Robotics, the pioneer of Google Maps, and many more.