High school STEM summit focuses on Olympic city’s jobs of the future

The count-down is on for the free 2022 QUT Future You STEM Summit for high school students, with online applications closing on Monday night at midnight.

The four-day event in the September school holidays will focus on career opportunities and jobs of the future, including the technology jobs boom that the 2032 Olympics is expected to bring to Brisbane and Queensland.

More than 260 year Year 11 and Year 12 students from Brisbane – and regional Queensland and northern New South Wales – will visit Gardens Point campus for the summit.

Around 200 will take part in the Future You STEM Summit and attend practical lectures and workshops in engineering, health and science.  Another 60 will do Future You STEM Internships and become part of a QUT research team for a week.

QUT STEM High School Engagement program manager Simone Long said the summit traditionally attracted high achievers who were smart, motivated and already had an interest in STEM.

“It’s a fun week that gives senior school students a chance to mix with researchers and university students – and also hear from industry experts who visit QUT for the event to share their knowledge,” she said.

“It really does give them a taste of STEM technical skills and professional skills and experiences that will amplify their job prospects in the future.

“We also find that it can help students clarify the areas they are really interested in going on to pursue at university and during their careers.”

The school students will take part in three major interactive sessions that will unpack the importance of a STEM mindset, with the help of industry speakers, and look at future job opportunities.

“This next decade will see Queensland transformed for the Olympic Games, with a wide cross-section of commercial sectors benefiting and the creation of new jobs across all sectors – none more so than the STEM industries,” Ms Long said.

The Future You STEM Summit will be held from September 27 to 30 at QUT’s Gardens Point campus.  Applications close at midnight on Monday, May 16.

Check out some of the action from some of the past events below.