STEM experiments a sweet success

BALLARAT Tech School’s 2022 Girls in STEM program got underway this week, empowering secondary students to consider a career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Fifty-four girls in year 8 to 10 from nine local high schools took part in a two-day workshop led by professionals from Mars Wrigley’s Ballarat factory.

Students were able to connect with innovative industry mentors, gain hands-on laboratory experience, and learn human-centred design thinking and communication skills.

Ballarat Tech School associate director Damon Minotti said the program is an opportunity for young women to gain a stronger understanding of the size and scope of industry in their city, and the STEM-related jobs available.

“They don’t have to move away from Ballarat to work for a multinational. The amount of career pathways at Mars Wrigley, for example, is huge,” he said.

“The girls are seeing not just women working in STEM-related trades, particularly engineering, but people from international backgrounds.

“Heather Lord Knight who has been running this program is originally from Canada and is the first female head of engineering for Mars Wrigley Australia.”

Working with Ms Lord Knight, students including Loreto College’s Hannah had the chance to experiment while developing their own product.

“We had to design a chocolate bar, calculate the cost of ingredients, and the amount of waste produced,” she said.

“I’ve enjoyed working with new people from other schools.”

Mr Minotti said the program also encourages girls to create their own network of likeminded young people.

“We hope they will stay in contact and continue to move through STEM-related opportunities with one another,” he said.

The Girls in STEM program runs for two days each term. The same group will take part in a workshop with Bartlett in term two, science-focused activities in term three, and explore drones and coding in term four.