Updated June 09, 2017 10:47:01 <\/p>\n
A school in the south-east of Perth is working to boost the future workforce in key areas of science and technology by engaging students through robotics. <\/p>\n
Science, technology, engineering and maths known as STEM subjects are said to teach people the skills and knowledge needed for 75 per cent of the fastest growing occupations. <\/p>\n
Yet despite children being more engaged with technology than ever before, recent studies have shown the number of Australian students in the STEM area is decreasing. <\/p>\n
The Robotics Club at Southern River College in Gosnells, about 20 kilometres from Perth, has been running since 2012 and is already having positive results. <\/p>\n
\"Many of the students have gone on to pursue similar interests in further study,\" Southern River's deputy principal Mike Erith said. <\/p>\n
\"And it's not just the technology skills. <\/p>\n
\"There's all those other higher order skills: the collaboration, leadership, problem solving and team work.\" <\/p>\n
The group meets once a week for two hours after school over two semesters. <\/p>\n
Students are given specific missions, which they have to complete through building and programming their robots. <\/p>\n
The previous group of students came fifth in a robotics competition at Macquarie University in March which Mr Erith said was a wonderful achievement. <\/p>\n
\"That group loved the program so much they've even come to me and told me they wanted to start their own club,\" he said. <\/p>\n
\"It shows when you open their minds and get that aspect of inquisitiveness in their learning combined with joyful learning they'll want to make it their own. It's a win, win.\" <\/p>\n
The program at Southern River is facilitated through The Smith Family, an education-based charity for children. <\/p>\n
WA general manager Ian Moore said people of all backgrounds and gender should be given the opportunity to enter what is fast becoming the job market of the future. <\/p>\n
\"If we look at students in lower socio-economic backgrounds compared to those in higher socio-economic backgrounds there is a schooling gap in terms of performance in maths and science-related subjects when we get to Year 9 of about three years,\" he said. <\/p>\n
\"So some students can be three years behind.\" <\/p>\n
He said the way the program worked was by first grabbing the students' imagination while also delivering a number of skills needed for further study and work in the field. <\/p>\n
Mr Moore said there needed to be more access to STEM subjects for everyone especially considering the current fear of a shortage of key science and technology workers down the track. <\/p>\n
\"Essentially what we've got is a huge cohort of kids and young people that aren't being given the opportunity to take up careers in science and technology,\" he said. <\/p>\n
\"And there is absolutely no reason not to include girls in that.\" <\/p>\n
Year 8 student Alexis Gidman is one of three girls in the group at Southern River College. <\/p>\n
She said she had always had an interest in the area so signed up right away. <\/p>\n
\"I want to build limbs for people that have missing ones,\" she said <\/p>\n
\"So they can do everything they need to for everyday life.\" <\/p>\n
Dylan Pudwell wants to be a forensic scientist, and said he found the club had helped him in other areas. <\/p>\n
\"It's helped me with my maths, given me practice with the maths skills,\" he said. <\/p>\n
\"And really helped with how I solve problems.\" <\/p>\n
Topics: education, science, robots-and-artificial-intelligence, gosnells-6110, wa, perth-6000 <\/p>\n
First posted June 09, 2017 07:47:07 <\/p>\n
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