Launched in 2017, STEM Ex is RDA Hunter’s program to match talented students from the Hunter Region with some of the country’s best Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries for a week of real world work experience.

Exclusive to students from the ME Program, STEM Ex presents a unique opportunity to get some of the brightest and most enthusiastic students at a pivotal point in their lives and to inspire them to pursue a career in STEM.

We understand it can be difficult for students to get work experience based on their interests and passions so STEM Ex makes it as easy as possible by:

• Matching students with industries based on suitability and capability;
• Assisting with compliance documents;
• Assigning a mentor/buddy inside the business who will make sure the student will get the most out of the week;
• Providing a central point of contact between the industry, school and student to ensure that the student has a fulfilling and worthwhile experience.

Accessing STEM Ex

ME Program industry partners have access to STEM Ex. Partners currently participating include:

Why?

How do kids learn about how to get to the future, when it looks nothing like the past?

Currently, most students do not have access to inspiring work experience opportunities in STEM based industries. They often go to a friend of the family’s workplace, the local mechanic, butcher, hair dresser or anywhere that can accommodate students.

Yet for most Australian teenagers, the future will look very different to the past. STEM Ex through the ME Program’s Industry Partnerships is able to show these students the amazing careers they could have in STEM.

One week, two or three weeks at a STEM based industry could be all it takes to inspire a student and provide a pathway to their future career.

What’s Involved?

Step 1: Students complete the online form to register their interest to complete work experience at a Hunter based STEM industry. EOI’s are only generally open once a year.

Step 2: Some interviews and preliminary assessments may be conducted to get to know the student a bit better. After that, we’ll go away and match students with appropriate STEM industries who can facilitate work experience.

Step 3: We’ll let the student and their school know whether we’ve found a good match. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to promise a place for everyone and can only provide work expience at a time that suits the industry partner.

Step 4: Once selected students will send us their school forms and we will lock in the date with our STEM Industry partner. We’ll introduce the person who will be the main point of contact throughout the week.

Step 5: Kick off work experience week(s). We’ll touch base with the students to make sure everything is going smoothly.