Whitehaven makes donation to help prepare students for tomorrow’s STEM jobs

The workforce which Narrabri Shire’s school leavers will enter is changing fast.

The employees of today already need new skillsets, and tomorrow will need to have even more, in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

As a local STEM industry, Whitehaven Coal works with the evolving needs of the future labour market and has made a $10,000 donation to Narrabri-based community group Future EDU.

Future EDU promotes Narrabri Shire school students’ engagement with STEM subjects and local STEM businesses.

“We thank Whitehaven for their generous financial support and investment in tomorrow’s workforce,” said Future EDU chairman Warwick Moppett.

“This sponsorship will assist our schools in advancing STEM learning and improve students’ local career opportunities.

“Whitehaven clearly understand that early engagement of students with STEM subjects provides the
opportunities for career pathways.”

The jobs of the future will increasingly rely on competency in STEM subjects at various levels, Mr Moppett said.

“Narrabri Shire has a growing range of businesses which utilise STEM technologies, from farming to retail, energy to food service, machinery operations to agricultural research.”

Future EDU actively promotes Narrabri Shire’s school students’ interest in the STEM subjects, and their engagement with local STEM businesses.
“We will use the generous Whitehaven contribution to build the STEM-friendly business and student relationship,” said Mr Moppett.

Future EDU aims to work with teachers and students to improve students’ understanding of why STEM skills are needed in the workforce of tomorrow and to encourage their engagement with the many local STEM businesses, Mr Moppett said.

“It is not only work experience, it is about giving teachers a STEM workplace connection to improve students’ understanding of why certain STEM skills are required, and will be increasingly required into the future.

“In Narrabri Shire we are uniquely placed with a strong scientific community, leading agricultural industries and as the centre of two major industries soon to be connected by Inland Rail.

“Notwithstanding current industries established in Narrabri Shire, tomorrow’s workforce will need to adapt to a new workplace with differing career opportunities across the various projects and industries.

“Future EDU is working with the education curriculum to ensure our Narrabri Shire job seekers are better placed than their competitors. This will be more important than ever as unemployment rises and the lines for a job grow.

“Our school leavers will stand next to already experienced applicants and our kids will need to be adaptive and familiar with STEM in all its applications.

“Future EDU works with Whitehaven, Santos, Civeo, Specialised Civil, Banksia Group, Narrabri Shire Council and many other businesses which all recognise that engaging with students gives young people the confidence to be comfortable later in the work environment.

“Significant change is not coming, it is already here. Employment trends in our society point to growth in health and care services and decreases in retail, and manual labour, including mining and agriculture.

“Narrabri is blessed with a diverse economic base. However, it will not require more manual workers. Our industries will require a modern, nimble STEM-skilled employee.

“This is what this change is looking like now – the old days are going, cotton is harvested to round bales, GPS guides tractors, we have driverless trucks, even local supermarkets have automated checkouts.

“This change is here, now.

“Future EDU hopes to assist parents to better understand these changes.

“Future EDU focuses on all levels of academia. It is not about doctors and engineers, it is about kids choosing to go from labouring to Cert I and Cert 3, going on to an associate diploma with STEM skill sets.”