STEM - the school education strategy of advancing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics came to the fore at the recent Australian Industry Week thanks to a especial Education Forum initiated by AMTIL and run by the Vernier Foundation.
Based on education in individual STEM subject groups or integrated teaching of science using engineering theory to increase student interest and promote key skills such as problem solving and creative thinking, a especial ‘Education Forum’ was instigated by AMTIL and implemented by the Vernier Foundation with the major sponsor Okuma, an Australian leading supplier of some of the worlds most advanced engineering machinery.
With feedback from many of Okuma Australia’s customers relating to the difficulties they face in attracting apprentices and talented young people, the company has been at the forefront in supporting initiatives designed to alleviate this situation along with the Victorian Vernier Society in which Okuma is deeply involved. The Vernier Society seeks to inform the wider community about the value of engineering and manufacturing in Australia and many of its members own and operate their own manufacturing businesses or play key roles in manufacturing.
The ”Education Forum’ was in several parts with the first involving students from two high schools meeting three young inspirational engineers who explained why a career in engineering and manufacturing was so inspiring to them. The second part saw the students visit the AMTIL Australian Manufacturing Expo to see first-hand a highly complex part being machined on the Okuma stand on an Okuma horizontal twin pallet CNC machine from a billet of material along with a full explanation from Okuma National Technology Manager Karl Corry. Karl also explained where the finished component fitted into an advanced camera mounting assembly that was being exported around the world by a Tasmanian manufacturer.
“What an honour to have a great group of ‘Future Engineers’ visit our stand to further their knowledge of the latest engineering technologies. STEM programs like this are essential to inspire and challenge these young minds to help strengthen Australia’s industry into the future,” commented Karl Corry, National Technology Manager. Okuma Australia.
This demonstration was followed by the students visiting other Foundation partner stands including Dimac Tooling on tooling aspects, Renishaw Oceania where key measuring details of the component were covered and then to Sutton Tooling to view special material cutters and finally to robotics provider ASA Pty Ltd.
Throughout the exercise students were encouraged to ask questions and take notes on all aspects of manufacturing as they were then challenged with an assignment to produce a 700 word essay explaining the whole process sequence.
Sponsors of the forum including Okuma Australia and Vernier Foundation members provided funds that allowed significant prizes to be awarded with the final judging in the hand of the Vernier Society.
The first prize was awarded to a young student from Dandenong High School whose essay was judged the best flowing composition and it was also noted that extensive research had been undertaken by the student post the Expo tour. Prizes were also awarded to several other students from St Margaret’s Girls School Berwick and Dandenong High School.
“Considering that some of the students were as young as 12 years of age the standard of material presented to the judges was quite exceptional,” commented Okuma Australia Managing Director Dean McCarroll. ”There is no doubt that the young students imagination has been captured during the forum with the technologies they had witnessed,” he said.
Post event comments from students were also inspiring such as:
“One of the speakers piqued my curiosity for STEM and manufacturing. Her feminist approach to motivate young women of all backgrounds to pursue a career in manufacturing was highly admirable, especially for me.”“As a young women drawn to science attending a girl’s school, the speaker inspired me when she talked about empowering women and her straightforward determination”;“I really enjoyed the excursion and found it fascinating and interesting to see machinery and robotics in action. The future is wide open to us.”
“There is no doubt that Okuma and the Vernier Society will continue with the concept of exposing students to exciting manufacturing and we look forward to seeing a more coordinated approach from the whole of the Victorian Manufacturing Industry to boost the pathway for students and for them to see the real potential of a career in engineering and manufacturing,” commented Dean McCarroll.
