ACADEMY INNOVATION OPPORTUNITY REAL-WORLD CHALLENGE WHERE MIGHT STEM ACADEMY STUDENTS END UP? STEM skills are increasingly necessary to engage in our knowledge based economy. They ensure young adults are equipped with the necessary skills for the world of the future. There is solid evidence to suggest that the fastest growing and highest wage jobs in the future will be in STEM fields. It has been esmated that 75% of the fastest growing occupaons require STEM skills and knowledge. Employment in STEM occupaons is projected to grow at almost twice the pace of other occupaons. STEM related occupaons: electrical engineers, mining engineers, agricultural and forestry sciensts, chemists, and food and wine sciensts, environmental sciensts, ICT systems analysts, soſtware and applicaons programmers, database and systems administrators and much more STEM ACADEMY OPPORTUNITIES: Opportunies for collaboraon between industry and higher educaon in regard to STEM research projects Project development and compeons such as: Solar car or boat challenge – Sunsprint, MiniSprint and SolarBoats, ACER Australian STEM video game challenge, Aeronaucal Velocity Challenge, CSU STEM Science Fair, University of Wollongong Science Fair and STEM compeons, Naonal Computer Science School Challenge Spaghe bridges, Robocs – “Lego Mindstorms” Mouse trap car Excursions and special guests. WHAT IS THE STEM ACADEMY? STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathemacs educaon. We focus on these areas together because the skills and knowledge in each discipline are essenal for student success and the fields are deeply intertwined in the real world and allows students to learn most effecvely. Hasngs Secondary College’s STEM Academy provides students with the ability to invesgate pracce, theorecal and real world soluons to the challenges in the world of Science Engineering. Our innovave teaching integrates STEM skills into a cohesive learning model based on real- world applicaons in an engaging and integrated way. The combinaon of STEM subjects is an iniave that is growing across all sectors of educaon and gaining internaonal credence. STEM skills are behind the growing global reliance on technology and innovaon, and provide opportunies to increase Australia’s producvity.