Students STEAM ahead with Ford

FORD is putting stars in the eyes and knowledge in the hands of students in disadvantaged communities with STEAM-based educational support.

Students STEAM ahead with Ford

STUDENTS hailing from two traditionally disadvantaged communities in Victoria now have open roads to a successful future in tech, thanks to Ford.

Through funding and support, Ford is helping to provide STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) programs for students at two schools in the communities surrounding its Product Design centres — Hume Central Secondary College in Broadmeadows and Northern Bay College in Geelong.

The programs are designed to give students from Prep to Year 12 the advanced tools and knowledge they need to build challenging, successful and future-proof careers in tech, giving them opportunity, and also a competitive edge.

Ford has invested $300,000 in building STEAM Hubs for projects, events and mentoring at the schools as well as sponsoring and mentoring student teams in the interschool science and technology-based FIRST Lego League, ICRobotics and the all-female RoboCats.

Ford also provides access to a broad variety of activities, learning programs and mentors, positioning the young participants as some of the state and country’s most attractive future employees.

“Our students come from a traditionally disadvantaged area. To have ongoing access to the Ford STEAM Hub and the Ford engineers is unprecedented in Geelong,” said Northern Bay College vocational education and training teacher, Richard Ellson.

With Ford’s support, the school has been able to purchase up-to-date digital manufacturing machines including a laser cutter and a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) plasma cutter.

“This type of machinery is almost unheard of in schools and closely replicates what students will be using to design, develop and manufacture solutions to problems once they have begun their respective careers,” Ellson said.

“Ford have also provided engineers from the Research and Development Centre in Geelong to act as mentors and assist in various STEAM classes throughout the year. Students have benefitted from this involvement because they start to see a greater relevance in what they’re learning.

“There’s a certain wow factor for some of our students when they’re sitting beside a real engineer who’s helping them to solve a problem.”

Ellson said Ford’s support is invaluable for students in the northern Geelong community.

“Without the financial support we could never have purchased the new machines and our students would never have been exposed to them. They would also never have truly understood what an engineer — or any STEAM-discipline professional does and that they could become one day.”

Since Ford became involved with Northern Bay College two years ago, there has been a marked increase in students showing interest in STEAM programs and careers.

“During the running of the first STEAM program at the Ford STEAM Hub, it was noticed by myself and other observers just how engaged the students were in a ‘gravity car’ project,” Mr Ellis said.

“Even students who had shown little interest in various STEAM subjects were hooked. During subsequent programs, students have shown interest in areas that their regular teachers have said were previously difficult to engage.”

Once the students complete Year 12, Ford’s educational support continues through a University Research Partnership Program, involving some of Australia’s best universities including Monash University, Deakin University, RMIT University and Swinburne University.

They are also given the opportunity to follow the path all the way to Ford itself with the Ford Graduate Program. The program draws students from a range of disciplines including engineering and design, business (including marketing, sales and service), finance and accounting, for a two-year intensive program designed to build a graduate’s capability in the preparation for a career with the company.

For more information, visit https://www.ford.com.au/about-ford/careers/graduate-program.

Originally published as Students STEAM ahead with Ford