Science Research and Innovation

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:18): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Science and Information Economy a question about encouraging students into scientific pathways.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: It's abundantly clear that the future workforce needs to be equipped with skills to drive innovation and industries of the future—industries that may very well not be what we see today. However, we do have an opportunity now to shape students' ideas about future industries. Can the minister update the chamber on what the government is doing to promote future innovators?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:18): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Of course, it is most important that we continue to stimulate the imagination of particularly our young people and encourage them to aspire to science careers.

I am sure that all of us at some stage in our childhood were intrigued by the thought of being an astronaut. Last year, 450 school students from the southern suburbs heard first-hand from former NASA astronaut and proud South Australian Dr Andy Thomas as part of the new future innovators series program. With our economy in a state of transition, we need to educate, inspire and encourage students to pursue science and technology-based careers.

This government is making several significant policy reforms and program initiatives to help develop a future workforce with the skills to drive and grow innovation. These measures are targeted from school through to tertiary levels, and the community through to a cross-agency approach, led by the Department for Education and Child Development and the Department of State Development. The key measures are outlined in the state's Investing in Science action plan. The future innovators series speaker program has been developed by the state's Chief Scientist, Dr Leanna Read, and will be delivered in partnership with the Royal Institution of Australia on behalf of the state government.

We know that many current students will ultimately end up working in jobs that currently do not even exist today. Through this series, and by exposing them to incredibly inspiring and high-profile individuals such as Dr Andy Thomas, we aim to dispel any perceptions that science and maths are only applicable to a limited number of careers like engineering, medicine or scientific research. In reality, pursuing science and maths in school can enable students to develop the foundation for a huge variety of professions.

Initiatives such as this series will show students that maths, science and technology-based subjects at school will enable them to pursue an endless number of opportunities. Many doors can open for them, whether it is being an astronaut, creating medical devices which change people's lives or creating visual effects for a Hollywood blockbuster. The series will also focus on demonstrating to students the importance of developing entrepreneurial skills in conjunction with science skills. These can turn any ideas into a high-value business.

Year 9 and 10 students from Victor Harbor High School, Mount Compass Area School, Aberfoyle Park, Reynella East College, Seaford Secondary College, Willunga and Christies Beach High School all attended the speech, which was recorded and will also be available online. We will also undertake a set of suggested classroom activities which complemented ideas raised at the event.

This government has shown commitment to initiatives which aim to attract students to science, maths and technology. We are interested in several new STEM specialist schools, such as the $2.3 million advanced manufacturing centre at Seaview High School, the just over $600,000 defence specialist school at The Heights, and the $200,000-odd for a STEM specialist school at Hamilton Secondary College. This will add to the existing Lefevre Maritime High School and the Australian Science & Mathematics School.

We are supporting an industry-led pilot program to encourage more girls into STEM, recognising that girls are often under-represented in some STEM areas, especially IT and engineering. We support the annual Science and Engineering Challenge competition, which is run in various regions across the state to engage local high schools. It is a great coup to have someone like Andy Thomas as the inaugural speaker in our future innovators series.