Google introduces STEM to underrepresented students

Monday, 03 August, 2015

Google Australia has pledged to provide three Australian not-for-profits with $1 million in cash grants, which will be used to help promote science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to underrepresented students such as girls, Indigenous Australians and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) will develop STEM content into their Year 7 and 8 curriculum for Indigenous students, making the subjects relevant through experience-based learning. The program will increase the digital skillset of 4000 Indigenous students by 2018.

FIRST Robotics Australia will take its FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Robotics program into 150 new schools, providing a robotics set, teacher mentoring and support to student groups across Australia. FIRST will reach more than 1500 students in low-SES areas and regional schools, building teamwork and inspiring young Australians in the fields of engineering and computer science.

Engineers Without Borders Australia will expand its ‘Regioneering Roadshow’, which will give hands-on, STEM and computer science focused training to 5000 young people, with a particular focus on young women. The Google grant will double the existing program’s geographic reach and connect young professional engineers to community, youth and school groups across regional Australia.

Minister for Education and Training Christopher Pyne welcomed the Google grants, noting that while up to 75% of jobs in the fastest-growing industries require STEM skilled workers, there is a low uptake in the number of girls, Indigenous students and students from low-SES backgrounds undertaking mathematics and the hard sciences.

“It’s exciting to see that these grants will help students who often don’t keep studying STEM subjects in senior secondary or in post-secondary education,” he said, adding that the three awardees are all “very worthy grant recipients”.

“Each does an important job in working to close the gap in educational outcomes and have shown a demonstrated ability to reach Indigenous, underprivileged and female students and promote a passion for STEM through their programs,” Pyne continued.

“I wish the recipients well in their projects.”