Adelaide, SA | 3 April, 2023 — Lumination, in partnership with BAE Systems Australia, is expanding its science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) outreach program to young people in Victoria.
This means more than 600 students in years 4-6 across Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales will benefit from the Beacon program this year, which involves in-school learning and intensive STEM focused camps.
The Beacon program focuses on young people aged between 8-11, helping them understand more about technology early in their education and to encourage more children from diverse backgrounds to consider STEM subjects.
Last year, almost half of all participating students were female and 6% were indigenous children. Around 80% of those who took part said they would choose a future STEM career.
South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer said:
“Encouraging STEM is incredibly important, particularly to students who are sometimes under-represented in the field.
“This program makes STEM interesting and accessible for students and exposes them to career paths in which there will be significant demand, now and well into the future.
“It opens the door to a number of incredible careers and it’s critical we provide students with access to these opportunities.”
BAE Systems Australia Chief People Officer, Angela Wiggins, said:
“I am really pleased to see solid interest from Indigenous students and the high number of girls participating in the program.
“STEM studies encourage problem solving and innovation and these are the skills that Australian industry needs today and in the future and will underpin the nation’s future prosperity.
“With Beacon, we aim to inspire early interest and enthusiasm for STEM subjects so that later those students might pursue highly skilled, well paid careers in engineering and ICT.”
Lumination Head of Education Programs, Rebecca Bendikov, said:
“Last year, 400 students — who may not have otherwise had access to emerging technology — gained new skills to propel them into the future. By showing these students their own potential, what future careers are available to them and bringing in role models from BAE Systems, they can now aspire to be what they can see.”
Lumination Chief Executive Officer, Edward Carlson, added:
“We are proud of the impact this program has had in its inaugural year. Not only does it work to increase equitable access to emerging technology, it ensures a strong local supply of students pursuing STEM career opportunities, which is required to compete and engage in the global economy.
“With the recent AUKUS announcement, we have an opportunity to work with schools to equip them with the technology necessary for their students to build skills for the future. By inviting students to create solutions that impact air, land, and sea here in Australia, we are setting them up for success.”
-30-
Editor’s notes:
BAE Systems Australia invests around $1 million annually in partnerships that support the communities in which it operates.
The Company also provides internships, apprenticeships and graduate opportunities as part of its national early careers program.
Get in touch with Lumination to learn more about the program and find out how your school can get involved by emailing [email protected].
About Lumination
Lumination is a world leader in immersive technology, creating Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) software to revolutionise the way we teach, learn and work. Founded in 2016, the Company started in a garage in Semaphore, Adelaide, with the goal of disrupting one of the oldest practices in history — the conventional classroom. With a growing team of over 60 employees, Lumination has served over 2 million customers nationally and is rapidly expanding into the defence, government and enterprise sectors. Increasing access to emerging technologies, Lumination is committed to strengthening the future of the workforce and taking learning to the next level on the world stage.
For media inquires, please contact:
Josh Pickham, Senior Product Marketing Manager
[email protected]
+61433987084