Year 9 and 10 students were given an insight into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through a range of hands-on activities. The workshops are designed to help students value STEM subjects and get insight into how to broaden their future study and career options.

Categories included global warming and renewable energy to which students were required to create a floating city, prosthetic limbs and a wind turbine. 

Head science teacher, Leah Anderson, said it is important to give students in rural and remote communities the opportunity to engage in the engineering process.

“If you look at the way education is going, no matter what field you’re in, employers are looking for problem solving skills, innovation and ability to think outside the box,” she said.

“They are skills future employers will want.” 

UTS student Kate Leone said it was rewarding to engage with participants on a student-to-student level. 

“We have spoken about why engineering is such a good thing to get into,” Kate said. 

“But more importantly it is getting them to have fun.

“It is good to expose the students to fields they wouldn’t normally be exposed to.” 

UTS Executive Coordinator, Intisarul Hogue, said the workshops are designed to give students an insight into the subjects.

“Students have volunteered for this regional NSW roadshow so we can bring our practical insight and experience to help students thinking about their subject choices, whether they want to go on to uni, and how to choose from the range of places and courses,” Intisarul said.

The UTS students are all members of the university’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders, a member-based not-for-profit organisation that works in partnership with developing communities both within Australia and overseas, creating systemic change through humanitarian engineering.