Hydro Tasmania is encouraging more young women to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as part of its ‘Girls in Power’ program.
The program aims to address the underrepresentation of women in STEM industries, particularly in the renewable energy sector, by engaging year 9 and 10 students in fun and interactive activities.
“Women are still underrepresented in STEM industries including the renewable energy sector. We want to encourage more young women to take up STEM subjects in years 11 and 12 and consider careers in our sector when they graduate,” Hydro’s Ruth Groom said.
According to the Australian Government’s STEM Equity Monitor, girls make up only one quarter of year 12 enrolments in information technology, physics and engineering subjects.
The number of women enrolling in university STEM courses and working in STEM jobs has increased, but only 37% of university STEM enrolments are from women and they represent just 15% of all people working in STEM jobs.
Workshops in the ‘Girls in Power’ program on Wednesday saw 35 students participate in challenges that address real-world scenarios, solving questions like how to transfer water from a water source to a power station.
As part of the program, a giant, tactile 3D model of a Tasmanian landscape helps students as they develop a proposal to transfer the water while considering the environment, geology and cost.
Students also go behind the scenes with a tour of Meadowbank Power Station and participate in ‘speed careering,’ where they’ll be given the opportunity to quiz Hydro Tasmania staff and representatives from related businesses like TasNetworks.
“Our goal is for students to leave the workshop feeling excited about the possibilities that a career in STEM can offer them,” Groom said.
“We need young women to feel they belong and can achieve great things in our sector.”
“One way we can do this is to introduce them to STEM subjects from a young age and encourage them to follow these pathways at university.”
The program began in 2022 with support from energy players across the state and Wednesday’s workshop was run in partnership with TasNetworks.
