Catching the Wave to Future Possibilities
A surfboard might not seem like the beginning of a STEM learning story.
For most students, it is something connected to beaches, sport, summer and Australian culture. But look a little closer and a surfboard also becomes a question about materials, design, waste and sustainability. What is it made from? How long will it last? What happens when it breaks? Could it be lighter, stronger, safer or better for the environment?
These are the kinds of questions that sit at the heart of STEM…. noticing the world carefully, recognising when something could be improved and developing the skills to investigate, design, test and create a better solution.
That is exactly the kind of thinking Australian student Lucy Zaknic brought to her surfboard design. Her HSC Design and Technology project, Spora, was a prototype surfboard grown from mycelium, offering a biodegradable alternative to surfboards made from polyurethane foam and fibreglass. Lucy’s project was selected as one of Australia’s top STEM projects to represent Australia at the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
Behind a project like this is not only one student’s creativity and determination, but also the kind of learning experiences that help students develop the confidence and skill to think in this way. Students do not usually arrive at these ideas by accident. They are shaped by many opportunities to ask questions, investigate materials, test possibilities, work through design challenges and see STEM as something that can be used to solve real problems.
For teachers, this is a powerful reminder that the STEM learning students experience in the classroom can help build the thinking, curiosity and problem-solving skills they may one day use in unexpected and meaningful ways.
But developing STEM skills is only part of the picture. Students also need opportunities to see where those skills could lead. Some students may not immediately see themselves in a STEM role, especially if their idea of STEM is limited to laboratories, coding or advanced mathematics. They may not realise that STEM careers can involve creativity, environmental care, helping people, designing products— or even rethinking something as iconic as a surfboard.
A student who loves the ocean, sport, animals, design, data, gaming, health, the environment or helping others may find a point of connection they had never considered before.
STEM Careers Show Students the Purpose Behind the Learning
One of the most powerful reasons to introduce students to a range of STEM careers is that it helps them understand why their learning matters. Science, Technologies and Mathematics can sometimes feel like separate subjects, each with its own lessons, tasks and assessments. Career learning helps bring those areas together by showing students how people use these skills in real life.
A meteorologist does not study weather patterns just to gather information. They use data to help communities prepare for storms, floods, bushfires and extreme heat. A biomedical engineer does not learn about materials and design in isolation. They use that knowledge to create tools, devices and technologies that support people’s health. A food scientist applies chemistry, biology and problem-solving to help make food safer, healthier and more sustainable.
When students learn about STEM careers, they begin to see that the skills they are developing in the classroom can have a purpose beyond school. Measuring, testing, researching, designing, analysing and explaining are not just learning tasks. They are ways people solve problems, make decisions and improve the world around them.
This variety matters. A student who does not see themselves as a “science person” may still be fascinated by animal behaviour, forensic investigation, game design, sports technology or environmental protection. The more examples students encounter, the more opportunities they have to find a connection that feels meaningful to them.
Helping Students See Themselves in STEM
By upper primary, many students have already formed ideas about what they are good at and what kinds of learning feel like they belong to them. Some may decide that STEM is only for students who are confident in maths. Others may think it is only for people who like coding, laboratories or machines. These early beliefs matter. The Australian Government’s STEM Equity Monitor notes that “confidence, interest and skills in STEM start at a young age,” and that early perceptions can influence whether young people are motivated to study STEM or aspire towards STEM careers.
Exploring a wide range of STEM careers can help challenge those assumptions. Students can see that STEM needs many different kinds of people and strengths. It needs creative thinkers, careful observers, practical builders, problem-solvers, communicators, designers, researchers, data analysts and people who care deeply about the world around them.
This is especially important for students who may not always see themselves represented in traditional images of STEM. When students encounter diverse STEM pathways and role models, they begin to understand that there is more than one way to be a STEM person.
Bringing STEM Careers into the Classroom
STEM career learning can be brought into the classroom in many practical and engaging ways.
Teachers might invite STEM professionals to speak with students, lead a hands-on activity or share how they use STEM skills in their everyday work. This could include scientists, engineers, health professionals, environmental workers, designers, data analysts, game developers, architects, farmers, builders, technicians or people working in local industries. Hearing directly from someone in a STEM field can help students understand that these careers are not abstract or distant; they are held by real people with different interests, pathways and stories.
Programs such as CSIRO’s *STEM Professionals in Schools* also highlight the value of connecting teachers with STEM professionals. The program is described as a national volunteer program that creates flexible partnerships between Australian teachers and STEM professionals, helping bring real-world STEM into the classroom. This kind of connection can give students a clearer sense of how STEM skills are used beyond school, while also supporting teachers to make career learning feel more authentic and relevant.
Students can also learn through excursions, virtual visits or local community connections. A visit to a science centre, farm, hospital, university, construction site, environmental centre, museum, technology business or local council project can help students see STEM in action. Even a virtual tour, recorded interview or online career profile can open up new possibilities when an in-person experience is not possible.
Classroom resources also play an important role. Career fact files, PowerPoints, inquiry tasks, research activities and role profiles can help students explore a wider range of STEM jobs than they might otherwise encounter. Students might compare different careers, investigate the skills used in a role, create a career profile, present their findings or connect a STEM job to a current Science or Technologies unit.
STEM career resources can help make abstract pathways more visible, concrete and engaging. Whether you are introducing one career at a time or planning a full STEM careers unit, these resources can help students explore the many ways STEM skills are used in the world around them. Resources and lesson inspiration to get you going can be found at STEM Careers: Helping Students Discover What’s Possible
Key References
● Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). STEM Connections. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/stem-connections
● Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources. (2025). STEM Equity Monitor. https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/stem-equity-monitor
● Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources. (n.d.). Youth perceptions and attitudes to STEM.
● Office of the Chief Scientist. (2020). Australia’s STEM Workforce Report.
https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/news-and-media/2020-australias-stem-workforce-report
● Office of the Chief Scientist. (2024). STEM Career Pathways report.
https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/STEM-CareerPathways
● CSIRO. (n.d.). STEM Professionals in Schools program.
https://www.csiro.au/en/education/programs/stem-professionals-in-schools-program
● Loreto Kirribilli. (2026). Congratulations to Class of 25 student, Lucy Zaknic…
● Society for Science. (2026). Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2026: Program and finalist directory.
https://sspcdn.blob.core.windows.net/files/Documents/SEP/ISEF/2026/Program.pdf
