Empowering the next generation of women in STEM and trades
Spanning across our three Future is Bright STEM & Trades Bootcamps in 2023, we partnered with Endeavour Energy to expand career choices for over 110 girls from 25 high schools across Western Sydney.
With only 1 out of 100 industry trades apprenticeships being held by women and only 37% of university STEM students being women, we’re working to change this by empowering high school girls to pursue careers in these fields.
Highlights from our most recent bootcamp
This month we held our third and final Future Is Bright STEM & Trades Bootcamp for 2023.
On site at Endeavour Energy’s Technical Training Centre, high school students in Years 9-12 immersed themselves in:
Virtual reality
Drone-flying
Climbing a pole
Girls also had the opportunity to hear from women currently working in STEM and Trades who shared their own experiences. They encouraged the girls to grab hold of new opportunities and trust in themselves. As shared by one student on the day “Just because I am a girl doesn't mean I can't do this job”.
Upon registering:
25% of the students said they had considered a career in trades.
Post-bootcamp survey saw this increase to 95% of students now have an interest in a trades career.
Reflecting on this year’s bootcamps
110 school girls
25 schools
Consistent feedback across our three bootcamps continues to highlight how essential opportunities like this are for helping girls realise their potential. As quoted by one student at our April Bootcamp “This Bootcamp shows that women can really do anything they put their mind to and that they put effort into”.
We’ve also seen the power of seeing and learning from women who model what it’s like to thrive in male-dominated fields. As quoted by one student at our July Bootcamp about our panel of women in STEM and trades “I was really into the talk that happened in the morning between the Endeavour team and loved how they shared their good and bad experiences as well. It motivated me a lot for the future.”
We’d like to thank the Endeavour Energy team for their support and work in making these bootcamps a reality. Western Sydney Women are committed to empowering the next generation of women, and it’s through the generosity of partners such as Endeavour Energy that we can provide girls with the tools, resources and support they need to explore their options.
