The API is redeveloping our programs and resources to energise and inspire the next generation of young Australians to pursue technically oriented careers in the power sector.
Some updates on our efforts include:
Electrify Your Future transition support program for high school students - our new EYF program actively engages high school and early university students to connect them to information about studies and careers in power. See more info below and check out the "yet to be fully launched" EYF page here - when it is ready we'll be actively sharing it with high school and undergrad students and linking them to all the other career goodies we have to offer!
Power Engineering Careers web site: we're updating the API's common go-to resource for information on study and careers in the Australian power sector, including profiles of the API's Bursary students and Powerful Women program participants and information on university study options and employer organisations. See details below and site here.
Project Energise: we'll be recruiting and supporting people from within the power community to be Power Ambassador for primary and high Schools, building on our 10+ years of experience doing this with API Bursary students into high schools. See details below and register your interest here to be informed when Project Energise is recruiting Ambassadors.
Curriculum aligned teaching resources for schools: with schools coming back from the disruption of COVID we'll be reactivating teaching resource programs for teaching including our Day in the Life of a 7 year old for primary school (year 2 students), and our API ATSE solar car challenge program (for Year 10 students). These two resources are designed to support teachers to do their amazing jobs well and to inform and inspire students about opportunities in the power/electricity sector (and to build the STEM skills and values and behavours that we will need them to have); and by linking to Project Energise, we'll increase our impact.
Electrify Your Future transition program (launching late 2022)
Our new EYF program actively engages high school and early university students to connect them to information about studies and careers in power.
It is designed to be a tangible action that students can take after they see something that spikes their interest in a career in power - from a person speaking in a school (Project Energise Ambassadors) or from a booth at a public STEM event from an API member organisation, or how ever else we get our story out there!
In signing up to the EYF program, students will have information and resources gently and respectfully 'pushed' to them by email in a periodic drip-feed that will help them to convert their interest into concrete actions (eg choosing the right subjects in Year 12, the right uni course selections, and then finding scholarships and pathways into the power sector).
We expect it will have a powerful impact (yes, pun intended) on converting initial sparks of interest into enrollments in the 'right' subjects in high school and university to enable technical careers in the power sector.
EYF will be released late 2022 and will link to an expanded Project Energise that will support individuals in the power sector to be more effective ambassadors to school students.
Power Engineering Careers web site
Our starting point is our online portal on power engineering careers:create the API has long had a page on careers in power but we closed it down in 2020 as it was out of date (and running on Flash, which the internet gods closed down for us).
We're building a new ‘go to’ resource for the whole sector to inspire and support school students, particularly those in high school, and university students to start careers in the power sector (prioritizing pathways into API member organisations).
The new site “Careers in Power” is being developed and will include general careers and study pathway information (e.g., for primary to high school students), inspiring profiles of people in the power sector, and links to API member organisations and their graduate recruitment processes (for graduating undergrad students).
Phase 1 of the revised site features the profiles of the Powerful Women Leadership Program participants that we have been developing this year, with a lot more content to come.
Check out the Careers in Power site here: www.api.edu.au/careersinpower
Project Energise – help us energise our future power sector workforce
The API is building a program to activate a community of power sector ambassador – you and your staff!
We've been doing this for 10+ years with our undergraduate API Bursary students (and connecting them to Year 10 classes with our API ATSE Solar Car Challenge), and are keen to increase our reach and impact.
We’ll support you with resources to engage with school students and stakeholders in their communities, and provide follow-up activities that magnify the impact of your efforts (such as the Electrify Your Future program).
Our support for Ambassadors will include training and resources for Ambassadors and teachers, alignment with Child Safe Organisation requirements, and providing resources to link to the API’s inspiring “next step destination” resources for students, teachers and parents to visit next after being inspired by you (our Careers in Power web site, profiles, and our EYF program and social channels).
Register your interest here to be informed when Project Energise is recruiting Ambassadors.