Principals STEM Forum The STEM Challenge for Geelong Chris Goy Project Officer School Programs, Skilling the Bay 20 March 2015
The STEM challenge The future prosperity of the Geelong economy will be underpinned by higher levels of participation and engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics pathways. Developing STEM capability is a key lever in future proofing Geelong by helping transform it into a technologically advanced and knowledge rich economy. Participation in STEM skills at secondary school and university is unacceptably low. (Lifting our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Skills; Australian Industry Group, 2012)
The case for STEM 75% of the fastest growing occupations will require STEM skills and knowledge Employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow at almost twice the pace of other occupations (Lifting our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Skills; Australian Industry Group, 2014)
Geelong region STEM employment data City of Greater Geelong STEM qualified Non- STEM qualified Unemployment rate 2.8% 4.8% Par3cipa3on Rate 77.1% 76.0% STEM related qualifica3ons are those at the Cer3ficate III level and above in the following fields: Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies Architecture and Building Engineering and Related Technologies Health Informa3on Technology Natural and Physical Sciences (Source: ABS Census Data 2011)
Why the increasing demand for STEM graduates? Growing use and impact of information and communication technologies Rapid application of scientific advances in new products and processes High rates of innovation required of business to stay competitive Shifts to more knowledge intensive industries and services Declines in student enrolments in STEM, particularly at secondary school (Lifting our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Skills; Australian Industry Group, 2014)
STEM participation and engagement in secondary schools (Australia) Year 12 participation rates for most Science and Mathematics subjects from 1992-2012, fell: Biology - 10% Chemistry - 5% Physics - 7% Multidisciplinary Science - 5% Intermediate Mathematics - 11% Advanced Mathematics - 7% (The continuing decline of science and mathematics enrolments in Australian High Schools, Teaching Science, 2014)
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Geelong Region Science VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends 2003-2013 (Source: VCAA 2014) 3 25.0% 2 15.0% 1 5.0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Biology Chemistry Environmental Science Physics
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Geelong Region Mathema+cs VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends Geelong 2003-2013 (Source: VCAA 2014) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Further Mathema3cs Mathema3cal Methods (CAS) Specialist Mathema3cs
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Biology VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends Comparison by Region 2003-2013 (Source: VCAA 2014) 3 25.0% 2 15.0% 1 5.0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Geelong Melbourne Victoria
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Chemistry VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends Comparison by Region 2003-2013 (Source: VCAA 2014) 25.0% 2 15.0% 1 5.0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Geelong Melbourne Victoria
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Physics VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends Comparison by Region 2003-2013 (Source: VCAA 2014) 18.0% 16.0% 14.0% 12.0% 1 8.0% 6.0% 4.0% 2.0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Geelong Melbourne Victoria
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Environmental Science VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends Comparison by Region 2003-2013 (Source: VCAA 2014) 7.0% 6.0% 5.0% 4.0% 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Geelong Melbourne Victoria
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Further Mathema+cs VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends Comparison by Region 2003-2013 (Source: VCAA 2014) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Geelong Melbourne Victoria
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Mathema+cal Methods CAS VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends Comparison by Region 2003-2013 (Source: VCAA 2014) 45.0% 4 35.0% 3 25.0% 2 15.0% 1 5.0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Geelong Melbourne Victoria
STEM participation in schools: Geelong region comparisons Specialist Mathema+cs VCE Unit 3 Enrolment Trends Comparison by Region 2003-2013 (Source VCAA Oct. 2014) 16.0% 14.0% 12.0% 1 8.0% 6.0% 4.0% 2.0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Geelong Melbourne Victoria
STEM Participation in Schools: Geelong Region Comparisons ProporEon Yr 9 NAPLAN (2008) Numeracy Bands 5-10: students who subsequently enrolled in VCE Unit 3 Specialist Mathema+cs (Source VCAA 2014) 3 25.0% 2 15.0% 1 5.0% Band 5 Band 6 Band 7 Band 8 Band 9 Band 10 City of Greater Geelong Metropolitan Melbourne Victoria
STEM Participation in Schools: Geelong Region Comparisons ProporEon Yr 9 NAPLAN (2008) Numeracy Bands 5-10: students who subsequently enrolled in VCE Unit 3 Further Mathema+cs (Source VCAA 2014) 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Band 5 Band 6 Band 7 Band 8 Band 9 Band 10 City of Greater Geelong Metropolitan Melbourne Victoria
What needs to be done? Lifelong STEM Literacy Help schools to teach STEM as it is practised, in ways that engage students, encourage curiosity and reflection, and link classroom topics to the real-world. Ensure that the skills of STEM graduates are aligned with workforce needs through fostering partnerships between schools, higher education institutions, training providers and employers. From: Office of the Chief Scien2st 2014, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathema2cs: Australia s Future. Australian Government, Canberra.
STEM Participation in Schools: Geelong Region Comparisons ProporEon Yr 9 NAPLAN (2008) Numeracy Bands 5-10: students who subsequently enrolled in VCE Unit 3 Mathema+cal Methods (Source VCAA 2014) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Band 5 Band 6 Band 7 Band 8 Band 9 Band 10 City of Greater Geelong Metropolitan Melbourne Victoria
Girls opting out of STEM In NSW the percentage of girls not studying any maths in the HSC increased from 9.5% in 2001 to 21.8% in 2011 Only 13.8% of girls studied one maths and one science subject for their HSC in 2011 The gender disparity in maths and science participation is now greater than it was in the 1980s ((Lifting our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Skills; Australian Industry Group, 2014)