First Nations high schoolers discover STEM with CQU and Monadelphous

08 December 2024
Three male students hold up an image of a map against a green screen
Year 10 and 11 students from Toolooa State High and Gladstone State High schools learned about map creation at the Monadelphous CQUniversity Indigenous STEM program

By Greg Chapman

Gladstone region First Nations high school students dove into all things science, technology, engineering and maths at CQUniversity recently, signifying the successful launch of the Monadelphous CQUniversity Indigenous STEM program. 

The Year 10 and 11 students from Toolooa State High and Gladstone State High schools discovered the intricacies of map creation, robotics programming and toured CQU’s Gladstone campus during the two-day event, encouraging students to think about a future in STEM and provide insights into the diverse range of career opportunities available. 

CQUniversity Deputy Dean – Research Associate Professor Linda Pfeiffer said the action-packed program provided the students with hands-on activities, inspiring tours, and creative workshops. 

“Some highlights of the day included a tour of the campus and the manufacturing hub, creating maps using Aboriginal symbols, painting bags with artist Trisha, programming paths for Sphero Indi robots and practicing students’ interview skills, participating in mock interviews with industry, guided by the careers team,” Assoc Prof Pfeiffer said.

A group of people at a table with tote bags, paper and pens
CQUniversity Gladstone STEM Central staff joined Grade 10 and 11 Indigenous students from Toolooa State School and Gladstone State School recently for session one of the Monadelphous CQUniversity Indigenous STEM program (CQU Gladstone Facebook)

She said the students gained unique experiences, meeting with people who worked in STEM-related industries.

“They discovered immersive and real-world contexts, enabling the students to realise the school subjects’ relevance and further link theory to practical application in a workplace setting,” she said.

The participants toured Monadelphous, a leading Australian engineering group providing construction, maintenance, and industrial services to the resources, energy and infrastructure sectors. The tour of the Monadelphous Workshop provided students with hands-on experience and offered them the chance to explore opportunities available within the Gladstone Region. The students' response to performing tasks sparked conversations, creating an environment for knowledge sharing and learning. 

Day two involved a campus tour and rotations in STEM Central.

The students also travelled to CQU’s Coastal Marine Ecosystems Research Centre (CMERC), undertook further career sessions and some even participated in mock interviews.

“The students loved the creation of maps, the painting with Trisha, the light painting and robots but I think the highlight for all students was the site visit to Monadelphous where they were able to actively participate in using equipment,” Assoc Prof Pfeiffer said.

She thanked Monadelphous for funding the program and Australia Pacific LNG, which funds STEM Central.