2024 AREEA Bright Future STEM Program

Last month, 10 team members were granted the opportunity to participate as industry role models for the Australian Resources & Energy Employer Association’s (AREEA) Bright Future Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) Program. The annual program aims to engage Years 5 and 6 students in STEM subjects and promotes the diverse and rewarding career opportunities present within the resources and energy sector.

Team members visited various schools across Melbourne and shared useful insights into their roles and careers to engage and inspire the next generation of STEM professionals.

The students engaged in a number of exciting activities including visiting a mine using a virtual reality headset, building electrical circuits, and coding games.

Ella Ciaravolo, Reliability Supervisor, was one of our STEM role models involved in the event. “The ARREA program was a great opportunity to introduce children to STEM in a way that was engaging and accessible for them. Laying a foundation of understanding at their age can plant seeds for future interest and exploration in STEM subjects. Being able to contribute to their education in a small but meaningful way was a privilege and a rewarding experience,” she commented.

Oliva Cary, Decommissioning Planning Supervisor, worked with students from South Yarra Primary School and loved that the students were really curious and eager to learn more. “They were incredibly knowledgeable and asked plenty of tough questions!” she highlighted.  

“We had an energizing session with the Grade 6 kids at Coburg West Primary School. We spoke about the oil and gas contributions to society, discussed our offshore operations in Gippsland, and explored the role of hydrocarbons in the energy transition through some very good questions! The students were really fascinated by the scale of what we do offshore in Bass Strait and enjoyed some practical problem solving through STEM activities. I wish this program was available in my primary school days!” said Kent Alexander, Decommissioning Removals ERPD Manager.

Since its inception in 2019, the Bright Future STEM program has reached over 21,000 students nationally and with the resources and energy sector foreseeing significant growth in the next few decades, a multitude of career opportunities are expected to be available for the new generation of STEM professionals.

Thank you to Kent Alexander, Olivia Cary, Ella Ciaravolo, Matt Lambert, David Levy, Ben Douglas, Jo King, Alana Pham, Kimberley Martin and Raihana Rashid.