STEM careers closer to reality for First Nations students in Gladstone

A group of First Nations high school students are now considering a job in STEM after completing a careers program at CQUniversity. 

The four-day Monadelphous Indigenous STEM Careers Program was held on site at CQUniversity’s STEM Central and Monadelphous in Gladstone.

Students from Chanel College, Gladstone State High, Calliope State School and Tannum Sands State High explored how STEM subjects connect in real life to build future skills and career pathways and saw first-hand some of the fabrication and construction work carried out by Monadelphous staff such as welding and rigging.

Year 10 student Kobe Mayers said while he has always enjoyed maths, science was not something that he was particularly interested in until he saw how he could apply those skills in the real world. 

“We got to do activities like robotics, coding, driving simulators and drone operations,” he said.

“Seeing what they do at Monadelphous was really good because I did not know about the company or what jobs they offered.”

Kobe said he now hoped to pursue an apprenticeship as a mechanical fitter once he completed high school. 

Program coordinator, CQU Associate Professor Linda Pfeiffer said the program aimed to help students understand the relevance of STEMS skills in the workplace and develop a clearer vision of their career aspirations.

“Through engaging STEM activities, interactive discussions and creative projects, students can identify and reflect on both technical and soft skills, and connect these skills to career paths, and enhance their occupational awareness,” A/Prof Pfeiffer said.