[Music]

[Red, white and blue logo revealed, reading ‘STEM Education’.

This image fades and Adam Spencer appears on screen, in front of a background with a science theme and STEM On-Demand logo.]

Adam Spencer

Did you know the jobs in STEM, that's science, technology, engineering, and maths, are growing twice as fast as jobs in other areas? This means that people with STEM skills are in high demand and are likely to have high paying, rewarding, even planet saving jobs. But while demand is growing, we still need people from a range of different backgrounds to jump on STEM study and career paths, like Indigenous Australians or people from regional Australia who have so much to offer but are less likely than others to have a STEM degree.

Right now, for example, only 15% of STEM-qualified jobs are held by women. We need to boost these numbers to make sure that everyone has access to these in-demand and important jobs. Plus, we know that diverse teams and workforces have better problem-solving skills and higher levels of creativity and productivity. That makes it a win-win for everyone to make the STEM workforce more diverse.

Everyone belongs in STEM, no matter what your passion or interest is, there's a career path for you. You could combine STEM and sport to become an exercise scientist. You can make STEM and fashion to create sustainable clothing or wearable tech. You could even use STEM and art skills to develop video games.

[End of transcript]

Supporting K–12 students in building aspirations for future learning and careers in schooling is essential. Careers education provides opportunities to make informed decisions about their future.

Resources created by the Career and Workplace Learning Team

• K–12 Career Learning Framework (PDF 2041 KB) supports students to access quality career related learning, with principles of practice to embed career learning.
• NSW high-level student journey map (PDF 7327 KB) outlines key decisions and activities that support students to succeed from kindergarten to post-school pathways.

Careers resources

• Future You is a free program with resources, that addresses stereotypes and misconceptions about STEM. The resources inspire students to explore STEM careers and themes.
• Use the Myfuture personal career profile quiz to tailor career ideas to individuals.
• Explore the world of work and various career opportunities by completing Myfuture careers quizzes.

K–12 Career Learning Framework professional learning (PPTX 22561 KB) – designed by the Career and Workplace Learning team includes slides and speaker notes with key concepts to embed career learning across the curriculum, supporting the implementation of the K-12 Career Learning Framework across all stages of schooling.

[Music]

[Red and blue logo revealed reading ‘STEM 2022 on demand’. 

Heather Catchpole and Karen Taylor-Brown appear on screen.] 

Heather Catchpole:

Welcome. I'm Heather Catchpole.

Karen Taylor-Brown:

And I'm Karen Taylor-Brown.

Heather Catchpole:

And we're the co-founders of careers with STEM.

[Screen shows a webpage titled, ‘Careers with STEM’. The menu bar includes topics such as, why STEM? Study paths, grad outcomes, role models, mags, teachers, comps and events. A red button below the menu reads, ‘trending now’ with a link to, ‘design a whole new world: creative skills in STEM’. The page contains a grid with various images of students and people engaging with technology. These images contain topics such as, quizzes, internships, university experiences and competitions. There is also an image of the Careers with STEM magazine under the heading ‘most popular’.]

Karen Taylor-Brown:

Careers with STEM is a platform for students, teachers and parents. Here you can explore careers with science, technology, engineering and maths or STEM.

[The screen shows different issues of the Careers with STEM magazine being placed on top of each other. This image fades and the screen show a blue screen with ‘STEM’ across the top, and the words, ‘science’, ‘technology’, ‘engineering’ and ‘maths’ underneath, along with 3 cartoon figures at the bottom of the page. The screen cuts to a shot of a person from behind, using a computer to look through the Careers with STEM website.]

Careers with STEM is an independent careers house created by STEM specialist publishers’ refraction media.

[Screen shows a webpage titled ‘Refraction Media’ with a photograph of a group of people inside an office space.]

It's hugely popular and supported by employers, government, universities and other organisations who share our vision to inspire a smarter future.

[Screen shows the following logos: Australian Government, ANSTO: Science, Ingenuity, Sustainability, QUT: the university for the real world, Macquarie University, Google, Atlassian, Commonwealth Bank.]

Careers with STEM reaches 1 million high school students annually and aims to inspire them to pursue courses and careers with STEM.

[Screen shows 4 young people walking and a young person touching a motorised propellor.]

We do this by busting stereotypes, showcasing diversity, and revealing exciting and unexpected career paths.

[Screen shows an issue of the Careers with STEM magazine featuring a story, titled, ‘Doctor? No, I’m an engineer?’ An issue titled, ‘Indigenous’ and one titled, ‘Space’.

And now we're going to take a look at why we think STEM is the future.

Heather Catchpole:

[Screen shows a close up of a bee on a flower, followed by the word ‘STEM’ being drawn in a pile of blue rice.]

There's a big buzz around getting skills in STEM. Research tells us that these skills are critical to future jobs. But we'd like to think of STEM as a foundation, not necessarily a destination. We know there's more to STEM than working in science, technology, engineering, or math.

[Screen shows a series of shots containing people in various STEM related worksites.]

STEM skills provide a solid foundation, but not just the jobs in science and engineering. These skills are critical in every walk of life. In fact, by 2030, it's predicted Australian workers will spend 77% more time using science and math skills. It's also surprising where a STEM foundation can lead and forget the stereotype like a scientist in the lab or a mad mathematician. People with STEM skills work for well-known brands in digital retail as data experts for multinational companies. They're solving global problems like climate change, or they might be preparing to be the next tech entrepreneur. They might get the tools in a trade building the smart homes of future or be the future of smart mining. STEM can also lead to creative career in games or animation. STEM skilled people can also work outdoors looking after our environment without an office in sight.

[Screen shows a series of shots containing people working in creative workplaces, design and gaming, along with outside in nature.]

Before we explore these careers, we want to share careers with STEM’s secret formula, we call it STEM plus X, where X is your passion an interest, another subject, a big opportunity, or a life changing goal. Think tech plus agriculture equals smarter farming, or science plus business equals new space rockets. Engineering plus health equals new medicines, or maths plus shopping equals happier customers and less retail waste. Whatever you're into, there's a STEM at plus X solution that can get you there.

[Screen shows a series of shots containing images of farming, rockets and a person holding many shopping bags.]

Karen Taylor-Brown:

If you found any of these exciting careers interesting, and you're looking for a place to start, here are five ways to start your path into STEM. Number one, head to careers with stem.com.

[Screen shows the Careers with STEM website. Close ups of different areas of the site are then shown to highlight what the speaker is saying.]

Take a quiz to find out what your STEM plus X is. Once you have an idea of what you're interested in, use the menu dropdowns to explore career areas and role models by STEM or by X area. To find out more. You can also search through our back issues and job kids for more info.

Heather Catchpole:

Number two, look out for mentoring opportunities through your school TAFE or uni family connections, friends and professional programs.

Karen Taylor-Brown:

[Screen shows the Careers with STEM YouTube channel, their website showing study pathways, Netflix, headshots of people in STEM: Clare Birch – quantum chemistry student, Aleisha Amohia – software developer, Raina Jain – high school student, Charishma Kaliyandra – Liverpool councillor, Naomi Manu – Director of Pühora STEM Academy, Jarom Hauwai-Sauer – self-taught coder, Lesley Woodhouse – digital knowledge keeper and Liam Ridgeway – co-founder and director of NGNY, Indigitek and IndigiGig. Screen then shows the Careers with STEM newsletter sign-up page, and ANSTO website.]

Number three, keep informed. Try out courses watch relevant shows, connect with or follow people who have great stem stories to share.

Subscribe to the Careers for STEM e-newsletter to stay up to date with career trends, employment growth areas, and helpful career insights.

Heather Catchpole:

Number four, if you're at school, choose electives, such as engineering, STEM, digital technology, and design and technology. And see if the school has a coding club. Stick with maths and include science and maths in your year 11 and 12 subjects.

Karen Taylor-Brown:

And number five, when looking at your next level study options don’t forget there are plenty of study pathways to choose from, and it doesn't need to be a straight STEM degree. You can combine it with data science, gaming and design, communications and media, security, law and much more.

[Screen shows a series of shots that depict the illustrate the careers mentioned by the speaker.]

Heather Catchpole:

Need to know more look out for the careers with STEM magazines in your school. They're sent to every Australian secondary school four times per year. Each magazine focuses on a STEM foundation and combines it with exciting X areas. Careers with STEM.com is a STEM careers go to with news opportunities and real life reads. You can search for your favourite STEM foundation or your X. Now's the time to join 1 million students discovering STEM plus X.

Karen Taylor-Brown:

With Careers with STEM you can find your path to a smarter future.

[Video concludes by displaying the NSW Government logo.] 

[End of Transcript] 

Careers resources

• Explore and search What is STEM + X?
• Complete the Student quiz: what is your STEM + X?
• Explore industries, occupations and qualifications for various careers. myfuture quizzes | myfuture

STEM curriculum video resources

Dr Catherine Ball shares ideas of real-world applications of STEM (05:45) and developing student aspirations for the future.

Southern Cross University: a world beyond the classroom (12:58) explains how educators can engage real-world industry applications to inspire students

iSTEM course

Align careers education with the iSTEM course, a department-approved elective with specialised topics focusing on STEM priority industries, developed with industry input.

• iSTEM course document (DOCX 382 KB)
• Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K–12 Policy and associated policy standards.

iSTEM core topics

Develop fundamental understanding and skills as well as the application of engineering-design processes to problem-solving activities.

STEM fundamentals module

• STEM fundamentals – learning sequence (DOCX 167 KB)
• STEM fundamentals – sample assessment package (DOCX 187 KB)

Project-based learning module

• Learning sequence – project-based learning: localised food production (DOCX 177 KB)
• Sample assessment package – project-based learning: localised food production (DOCX 172 KB)
• Learning sequence – project-based learning: will any robot do? (DOCX 185 KB)

[Music]

[Red, white and blue logo revealed, reading ‘STEM Education’. Screen reads, ‘STEM Careers: Science’.

This image fades and Adam Spencer appears on screen, in front of a science themed background and STEM On-Demand logo.]

Adam Spencer:

STEM is the foundation, not the destination. Scientists don't just work in the lab and field. They're helping to build our economy through creative innovations, collaborations, and industry partnerships. They're at the forefront of helping us understand and create solutions for climate change. They've helped us navigate the COVID-19 pandemic they’ve brought us life-saving vaccines, and they've revealed the wonders of the cosmos to us.

As our world continues to face pressing global challenges, The crucial role of science and scientists is clearer than ever. And there are so many ways to have a science career. Want to help the environment? You could work in conservation, marine science, or environmental planning. Keen on communications? Become a STEM science communicator, and share new information and research in creative and meaningful ways. Interested in art? Well, the science world needs you to illustrate journals and textbooks and add colour to images captured in space.

Food and agriculture is another exciting area of science that's crying out for more people with STEM skills. If you're interested in food, you should consider a career in food science. Equip yourself with a Certificate IV in Food Science and Technology from TAFE New South Wales and make food safe from paddock to plate as a food technologist. You could work for major food brands like Mars, Australia, supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths. The Australian Defence Force also needs technologists in food to ensure that Army, Navy, Air Force members get the nutrition they need to perform at their peak.

And if agriculture is more your interest, well, you are in luck because, currently, there are an estimated six jobs for every agricultural science university graduate in Australia. That means plenty of career opportunities. You could work in the lab or get your hands dirty in the field. You could also work with private companies or government agencies. Science skills are extremely valuable in agriculture. With these skills, you might help develop drought resistant crops or grow premium grapes for world class Aussie wine. You could even help reduce food waste or work with farms to make sure they stay profitable and environmentally sustainable for future generations.

Indigenous Science is also shaping contemporary science and creating promising career paths. Australian universities are offering a growing number of courses that delve into Indigenous Science and knowledge systems. Graduates can then work alongside Indigenous communities in areas like environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture. This isn't just about preserving the past, it's also about building a more sustainable future.

To work in this area, you'll need to study a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Indigenous Science and Knowledges. A career in Indigenous Science will have you adding the job title of ecologist, park ranger, or research scientist to your CV.

Would you like to help people for a living? Well, science and health is another fantastic combination to explore. With a chemistry or physics degree, you could work in nuclear medicine and save lives. Roles in this area include physician, medical physicist, and radio pharmacist. ANSTO, one of Australia's leading scientific institutions, is a top employer in this space. Allied health is another booming area. The health and social assistance sector is expected to grow by 15.8%. Two examples here are speech pathologists and occupational therapists. By studying speech pathology at university, you could help members of the community with speech and swallowing difficulties, while working out of clinics and hospitals. Or with an occupational therapy degree, you can help people with injuries, illnesses, or disabilities that affect their ability to undertake everyday tasks like eating, writing, or shopping.

Nurses are in high demand, too. Australia's facing a shortage of up to 123,000 nurses by 2030, meaning you will be very employable after completing your studies. There are TAFE and university options for gaining a qualification, and you could specialise in fields like rehabilitation, mental health, aged care, or emergency.

So, to get ahead in a science career, you'll need to be curious, collaborative, and creative. Your problem-solving and critical thinking skills should also be sharp. And as you've heard, there's not just one pathway to get you into science. With VET qualifications, university degrees, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to study options. So, check out the latest Careers with STEM, Science Magazine, at careerswithstem.com to get started.

[End of transcript]

Science career resources

• CSIRO – Virtual work experience programs
• Careers with STEM - science career role models.
• Science + communication careers to consider
• Australian Space Agency job roles and study pathways.

Explore the following science related careers at careers harvest:

• Agriculture Careers
• Animal related careers
• Conservation
• Health and medical.

K–12 career learning framework resources

• Discover Myfuture for science teachers (DOCX 109 KB)
• Activity sheet – careers bullseye poster (DOCX 258 KB)

STEM curriculum video resources

• Emily Calandrelli – the space gal (21:03) explains her career as an MIT engineer, science communicator and woman in STEM.
• Dr Catherine Ball – the scientific futurist (17:54) reveals the growing opportunities in geospatial surveying of the moon, mars and the metaverse.
• NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre (58:07) specialists discuss their work in helio-physics, earth and planetary science and astrophysics.

iSTEM course

Align careers education with the iSTEM course, a department-approved elective with specialised topics focusing on STEM priority industries, developed with industry input.

• iSTEM course document (DOCX 382 KB)
• Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K–12 policy and associated policy standards.

iSTEM specialised topics

These specialised topics build essential knowledge and skills for future-focused careers, placing students at the forefront of STEM education.

MedTech module

• Learning sequence – MedTech (DOCX 178 KB)
• Sample assessment package – MedTech (DOCX 2.1 MB)
• MedTech professionals explain the importance of Futureproofing our health workforce (08:50)

Design for space module

• Learning sequence – design for space: critical problem solving (DOCX 184 KB)
• Learning sequence – design for space: ProtoSat (DOCX 178KB)
• Sample assessment – design for space: ProtoSat (DOCX 191 KB).

Complete the department-approved elective course – iSTEM microlearning (NR36618) to learn abut delivering the iSTEM course.

[Music]

[Red, white and blue logo revealed, reading ‘STEM Education’. Screen reads, ‘STEM Careers: Technology.’

This image fades and Adam Spencer appears on screen, in front of technology themed background and STEM On-Demand logo.]

Adam Spencer:

STEM is the foundation, not the destination. Technology is in every part of our world. It's also on the cusp of exciting new breakthroughs. Artificial intelligence can be used to identify endangered species in remote areas. User interface design is creating seamless ways to interact with technology. We also have highly skilled technology specialists, keeping our people and planet safe.

By the end of the decade, Australia needs 650,000 tech workers to keep innovating and moving forward in this space. These workers will need a strong foundation in STEM, especially in computer science and information technology. The good news is there are many industries and employers that need people with tech skills, meaning you could work anywhere from design to disaster response. If you're interested in technology, there are a range of qualifications and degrees to study and jobs to land.

You could work in cybersecurity. With cybercrime on the rise, Australia needs at least 17,000 more cyber security workers. You could kickstart your career by studying a Certificate IV in cybersecurity at TAFE New South Wales, then becoming a cybersecurity assistant or technician. You could end up working for a major bank like ANZ, a tech company like Google, even for the Australian Defence Force.

The New South Wales Department of Education has also created an Australia first cybersecurity module as part of their iSTEM course. This was developed collaboratively with industry and Cyber Security NSW. It's available for all schools who are running the elective. Cybersecurity is a great career path for anyone who likes solving problems and puzzles, anyone who is creative and analytical and is always curious about how things work.

Artificial intelligence careers are also booming. With the Australian government focusing on AI to transform existing industries like aged care, infrastructure, and natural resource management. AI is already a big part of our lives. It's there when you unlock your phone with your face, ask Google Maps for the quickest route to the place you're going, and when you open ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas.

It's also being used in a range of industries. In banking, it's a good tool for detecting fraud. In healthcare, it can scan large amounts of data to make better diagnoses. In transportation, it can alter traffic light algorithms to manage roads in real-time. The New South Wales Department of Education is also working in AI developing EduChat that's already in a number of schools. To work in AI, you'll need a Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence or a technology and science degree with a major in AI. Your future job title could include automation engineer, machine learning engineer, or software engineer.

If you like to work with animals, you can use tech skills in this area too. Combine wildlife zoology and software engineering to use drones to track hard to reach animals or mix veterinary science with biomedical engineering to further develop cutting edge surgery techniques like oral pill cameras, and microchip fracture detection. A Bachelor of Veterinary Technology will set you up to work with technology and animals. You could land a job at a university, a zoo, vet practise, research lab, or agriculture company.

To get ahead in a technology career, you'll need to be an excellent problem solver and communicator. You need to be creative in your thinking and be good at working in teams. And as you've heard, there's not just one pathway to get you into a tech career.

With VET qualifications and university degrees, there are plenty of choices when it comes to study options. Check out the latest Careers with STEM, technology magazine, at careerswithstem.com to get started.

[End of transcript]

Technology career resources

• Tech Council – Virtual work experience
• Learn about starting a career at the Australian Signals Directorate
• Explore role models in technology careers
• Read an article on why Technology careers are changing: find all the future gigs in our latest issue - Careers with STEM

Explore the following technology related careers at careers harvest:

• ICT careers in agriculture
• Communication in agriculture careers

K-12 career learning framework resources

• Discover Myfuture for technology teachers (DOCX 105 KB)
• Activity sheet – Myfuture career bullseye (DOCX 258 KB)
• Career Learning in Curriculum TAS Stage 4 – careers in technology resource (DOCX 150 KB).

STEM curriculum resources

• Light a path to a career in quantum technologies for their students at Sydney Quantum Academy (19:57)
• Why MedTech professions are needed and futureproofing our health workforce (08:50) is important.

iSTEM course

Align careers education with the iSTEM course, a department-approved elective with specialised topics focusing on STEM priority industries, developed with industry input.

• iSTEM course document (DOCX 382KB)
• Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K–12 policy and associated policy standards.

iSTEM specialised topics:

These specialised topics build essential knowledge and skills for future-focused careers, placing students at the forefront of STEM education.
Cyber security

• Learning sequence – cyber security (DOCX 227 KB)
• Sample assessment – cyber security (DOCX 3.26 MB).

Mechatronics

• Learning sequence – mechatronics and robotics autonomous car (DOCX 200 KB)
• Sample assessment – mechatronics and robotics (DOCX 190 KB)