By Jem Anshaw
Local schools have embraced the opportunity to have specialised STEM education for students which is providing skills for the future right here in Muswellbrook.
The official opening of the Donald Horne Building in July last year also launched the STEM Lab housed on the top floor and Matt Leman, innovation coordinator for Muswellbrook Shire Council said support has been building.
“We’ve had some incredibly great buy in from primary schools, specifically from year three up to year six and the local high school,” he shared.
“The kids really see the value in what we’re doing here, they really enjoy the activities that we’re doing here and they are certainly things that they’re going home and talking about.
“What we’re doing here is value adding to what’s happening in the schools, schools are doing incredible things but they’re either time poor or resource poor, whereas in the space here we have all these great resources that schools can access and use.”
Students have enjoyed aeronautics, shero’s, Lego robotics and various coding units to help develop STEM soft skills such as problem solving, resilience, teamwork, and communication.
“We don’t know what the jobs of the future are going to be, specifically here in Muswellbrook with the transitioning economy, so if you can equip kids with a skill set to be curious, be creative, then they’ll be so flexible, and they can pivot into any sort of career and that’s what employers want from their employees,” Matt explained.
Last fortnight the STEM Lab welcomed youth for the first time for a school holiday program that Matt shared they look forward to conducting more of in the future.
