State STEM Strategy a Vital Boost for WA’s Future

Scitech will play a key role in the Western Australian State Government’s STEM Strategy, helping to upskill WA’s current and future workforce with essential STEM capabilities.

Scitech has been identified as a strategic conduit between industry and schools, helping to facilitate the development of essential 21st Century skillsets in innovative and exciting ways.

The State STEM Strategy is a pathway for Western Australia to increase participation of under-represented and disadvantaged groups in STEM opportunities; and to highlight the importance of STEM skills for a positive future for all Western Australians.

“More than ever before, we have to work together to do our very best to ensure that every West Australian has the opportunity to develop STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) skills,” says Scitech Acting Chief Executive Officer, Kalien Selby.

“75% of the fastest growing jobs require STEM skills, so we are delighted to see that the Government has released their State STEM skill strategy to address this critical driver of economic and social development.”

“Our ‘New Scitech’ Strategy, launched in late 2018, outlines how Scitech is responding to the need for an increased level of STEM engagement, building on our strong reputation for quality STEM education, established over the past 30 years. The State Governments’ STEM skills strategy sees Scitech play a leading role in developing a healthy and proactive approach to STEM opportunity awareness and skills development for Western Australians.”

Plans for a new Science Centre for Scitech are progressing well along with the new strategy to reshape and deepen how Scitech works with the Western Australian community.

New programs under development will be influenced by the success Scitech achieves in supporting the needs of under-represented demographics, such as the highly acclaimed Aboriginal Education Program in the Pilbara, our Girls-only CSIRO Lab workshops and the Schools Access Program enabling schools from low socioeconomic areas to visit Scitech for free.

Other speciality areas Scitech will lead include coding, robotics and mathematics, building on highly successful existing workshops and community initiatives for teachers and students.

Teacher development programs are also a focus, enhancing what Scitech already offers, including support for government initiatives such as state-of-the-art Primary Science Lab’s and Digital Technologies curriculum.

Scitech’s work targeting specific developmental stages and demographics will also flourish, enriching events from early childhood through to secondary school career fairs and links to university research.

Plans are also under development to engage 13 to 17 years-old’s in non-traditional ways outside of the school environment.

We applaud the Western Australian Government for the insight to invest in the State STEM Strategy – a plan to ensure Western Australia’s ongoing social-wellbeing, economic prosperity and sustainability.