Melbourne, 24 October 2006
Siemens in Australia has today announced a three-year $30,000 sponsorship allowing 300 students from the western suburbs of Melbourne to participate in Australia’s premier science and technology program.
In a joint partnership with Western Chances, Siemens is committing the funds to enable Year Nine students from 10 western suburbs secondary schools to attend The Siemens Science Experience at Victoria University in Footscray.
Siemens Executive Director Human Resources, Paul Birch, said university enrolments in science and technology courses have been in dramatic decline since the late 1960s.
“There was a 34% decline in university enrolments in the mathematical sciences between 1989 and 2002 and a continued rate of decline will have dire consequences for our nation’s capacity for future development and growth.
“The Siemens Science Experience is aiming to combat this decline by providing Year Nine students the chance to experience the many career possibilities on offer in the areas of science, engineering and technology in a practical hands-on learning environment,” Mr Birch said.
The program is a three-day practical hands-on workshop for Year Nine students entering Year 10 and aims to demonstrate the breadth and scope of science, engineering and technology and to equip students with the knowledge to consider VCE and tertiary studies in science and engineering.
The Siemens Science Experience is a ground-breaking initiative which is designed to stem this decline of enrolments in the sciences and has provided 50,000 secondary school students the chance to experience the practical applications of science over the past 17 years.
The program engages students in practical hands-on experiments in university laboratories, provides information about further studies and careers in science and demonstrates the many opportunities in the fields of science, engineering and technology.