Families
Digital Technologies
Use it to:
- make a case for including digital technologies within your school's curriculum
- help your child to plan their future learning and/or career path.
Careers planning
Digital Careers - This site includes resources for parents, including the Careers with Code guide, Pathways to Tech resource, the Digital Careers Activity Map and links to a range of interesting events and activities.
Careers with Code shows the wide variety of careers that computer science can lead to – everything from art and music to medicine and agriculture. The site includes a quiz, a degree finder and profiles with people working in these and other categories: Creators, Innovators, Problem-Solvers.
myfuture assists users to identify a range of careers related to computational thinking and coding. After registering, select the 'Bullseye' section and select 'Computing'. Users can then select specific job titles for further exploration.
Digital Careers is a set of videos of Australians working in the digital technologies area.
Meet the professional - 'What's your one piece of advice for new programmers? The more you know, the more you can do. However, you don't need to know everything to get things done. Just a bit of know-how is enough to get started on most projects, you can learn the rest along the way. Don't be afraid to break stuff, it's all virtual anyway.'
Digital Directions - These YouTube clips showcase businesses that have benefited from the digital era through a variety of platforms.
Go4IT work experience program - This 5-day work experience program operates in Sydney and Melbourne to support and motivate girls' involvement in digital technologies-based careers.
'From STEM to STEAM: Young artists can become engineers too' - This personal-experience article encourages parents and teachers to think outside the box.
ME Program is Regional Development Australia's workforce development program that facilitates manufacturers working with schools. It is based in the Hunter region in NSW. The website has broader resources which highlight STEM-focused careers and a toolkit of teaching resources.
Workforce stats
Australia's STEM Workforce - This 2016 report by the Office of the Chief Scientist provides a detailed analysis of Australia's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) trained workforce.
STEM: Key facts - This infographic illustrates key findings from Australia's STEM Workforce report.
'The robots are coming for your job! Why digital literacy is so important for the jobs of the future' - This opinion piece looks at the changing nature of the workforce and the ways in which we can 'future-proof' our students.
What are employers saying about STEM?
Australia's STEM workforce: A survey of employers - This is a 2014 report by Deloitte Access Economics, which conducted research into the demand for STEM skills within the Australian workplace. 'The largest differences in skill levels between people with STEM and non-STEM qualifications were observed for "complex problem-solving", "programming", "critical thinking" and "system analysis and evaluation".'
Progressing STEM Skills in Australia This 2015 report from the Australian Industry Group notes that
'STEM skills are essential for the future economic and social well-being of the nation with an estimated 75% of the fastest growing occupations requiring STEM skills and knowledge. It places Australia's progress within an International context and explores the participation of women and girls in this area.
'There needs to be greater emphasis on linking the teaching of STEM elements together, using inquiry-based and action-learning programs and pedagogies and adopting different and appropriate motivational factors to persuade students to expand their interest in STEM programs.'
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