About the program
The NSW-based program offers students, teachers, and industry the chance to connect and address local STEM challenges. Students in Year 7 to 10 will benefit from inquiry-based projects, site visits, work experience, and local STEM events, gaining exposure to diverse STEM opportunities and career paths.
The program is facilitated by teachers and schools, in partnership with industry and local businesses.
Inspire the next generation by showcasing real-world STEM skills and promoting diverse career opportunities for local students.
The program is delivered by CSIRO Generation STEM, a 10-year initiative aimed at diversifying the STEM pipeline in NSW.
[Image changes to show Ruth Carr talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show students at work in a classroom, and text appears: Ruth Carr, CSIRO Director of Education and Outreach]
Ruth Carr: STEM Community Partnerships Programme is really special because it connects local students with their local industry, making STEM real.
[Images flash through of a 3D printer in operation, a model bus moving around a model airport, views of a female in conversation with a group of students, and some students at work]
And to develop those STEM skills, those STEM capabilities in young people will really help create our future problem solvers and innovators.
[Image changes to show David Wright talking to the camera, and text appears: David Wright, Managing Director, Aqua Ventures]
David Wright: So what Generation STEM is doing is giving younger people an experience in STEM.
[Images move through of a rear and then facing view of two students walking through a classroom, a female student working on a computer, and views of a 3D printer at work]
It’s allowing to put it in the context of problems to be solved and seeing how they can use STEM to solve those problems.
[Images move through to show a close view of a project in a student’s hands, a 3D printer in operation, and a student pointing to a 3D animation model on a screen]
The idea is not to in Gen STEM teach people maths, or teach people engineering.
[Images move through to show a student watching a 3D printer, a 3D model being printed, a student operating a robotic vehicle while another watches, and the students laughing as they watch]
It’s about teach them how to solve problems and what tools they could use to solve those problems, but do that in an experience way, not in a theoretical way.
[Images move through of a student working on a 3D model animation on a computer]
They’re actually getting their hands dirty and that’s the beauty of the programme.
[Image changes to show Anna Lau talking to the camera, and text appears: Anna Lau, CSIRO Generation STEM Programme Manager]
Anna Lau: Students at STEM Community Partnerships Programme, students in Year 7 to Year 10 engage in enquiry based projects looking at solving real world challenges faced by their local community.
[Images move through to show the Western Sydney International Airport Information Hub, and then students looking at the various displays in the Information Hub]
Ruth Carr: In addition to these enquiry projects there are also a range of different activities that are engaging and designed to expose students to what STEM looks like outside the classroom in the real world.
[Images move through to show aerial views of the airport site, cranes and earthmoving machines at work on site, and students entering the Information Hub building, and looking at a screen display]
So, we work with businesses in the local area to come up with site visits, work experience opportunities, careers events, saving time for teachers in connecting to those businesses themselves, but also empowering teachers to build and foster those connections over time.
[Image changes to show Tania Sarafian talking to the camera, and text appears: Tania Sarafian, CSIRO Programme Delivery Manager]
Tania Sarafian: What students are also gaining is this connection to community, but connection to real world social issues.
[Images move through to show students at the Generation STEM event displaying models and in conversations with people about their projects]
They feel like they’re making a difference, making a difference for their own lives now but also that of the future.
[Images continue to move through to show various groups of students displaying their projects and talking with visitors at the event, and the camera shows various view of the projects too]
And in combination with the STEM skills that they’re developing they’re ready to enter into careers where they can actually be solving those problems in the future as well.
[Images move through to show Lisa Greenlees talking to the camera, an aerial view looking down on the airport site, and students at the Information Hub in the airport, and text appears: Lisa Greenlees, Science Teacher, Baulkham Hills High School]
Lisa Greenlees: The link with CSIRO has been absolutely phenomenal in giving us the inspiration and opportunity to visit places like this and immerse the students in an experience with linking science, technology, and engineering and maths.
[Images move through of a rear view of students watching a simulated plane landing on a screen, a student operating a handheld remote controller, and students watching a video showing the airport site]
The STEM Community Partnership Programme has been absolutely essential in showing schools and students the links between the different subject areas
[Images flash through to show a student drawing a diagram and then laughing, the model next to the actual drawing, students working on an animation project, and a student taking notes]
so that science, technology, engineering and maths are brought together under one banner that the students can see, and be linked with what’s happening around them.
[Music plays, and the image changes to show the SIEF and NSW Government logos, and text appears: Generation STEM is managed by CSIRO and made possible through the NSW Government’s $25 million endowment to the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF)]
[New text appears: www.csiro.au/generationstem]
[Image changes to show the CSIRO logo on a white screen, and text appears: CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency]
Program eligibility
STEM CPP is only available to NSW-based schools and industry. Teachers and industry professionals who apply must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Open to Government, Independent and Catholic high schools, and STEM businesses in certain locations in NSW (Western Sydney & Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Central West, Dubbo, Albury, Queanbeyan-Yass).
- Students from a Year 7 to 10 STEM class.
- The projects are flexible and can scale from 15-100 hours based on student ability and timetable constraints.
- New teachers must attend the professional learning day and allocate at least one class to STEM-based inquiry projects.
- There is no cost to participate.
Program outcomes
For Students: Selected Year 10 students can participate in work experience designed to provide hands-on exposure to STEM fields. Additionally, in certain areas, students can engage in the STEM Taster programs at TAFE NSW. These programs, along with site visits to local STEM workplaces and the end of year showcase, help students gain practical insights into potential career paths.
For Educators: Educators benefit from annual NESA Accredited professional development, along with webinars that support program implementation. They have access to resources for lesson planning and can participate in local STEM career events.
For Industry: Industry partners can mentor teachers, share career experiences, and host STEM interns. They engage with students through site visits, panel discussions, and workshops, and participate in career expos to promote STEM careers.
Generation STEM evaluation report