In 2009, the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), one of our Education Partners, approached CEFA with an opportunity for female rural students – the Women in Science Program. The program aimed to encourage more female students to consider pursuing science studies at university and ultimately a career within the science industry. CEFA jumped at the chance to bring this opportunity to our local communities.

Hosted and fully-funded by UTS, this two-day Sydney program was offered to Year 10 and 11 students from CEFA communities who had a strong interest in science-based subjects at school and who may potentially consider a career in science if given greater exposure to the many possibilities such careers offer.

CEFA invited three rural high schools to take part and 14 students attended the pilot program in November, with other students from low-SES schools in Sydney. The participants took part in workshops focused on physics, chemistry and maths in science at the UTS campus and heard from students and staff involved in the faculty to learn about the many different science courses available through university and the diversity of careers that these courses can lead to.

In 2010, UTS generously expanded the scope and funding of their program to become Careers in Science: another two schools from CEFA communities were invited, 30 students visited Sydney from rural NSW and male students took part as well as females.

That year, we also spent an afternoon at the CSIRO’s Future Foods complex at the invitation of the Future Food’s CEO and 2010 winner of the Rabobank Food and Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award, Dr Bruce Lee. With a strong interest in rural Australia, Dr Lee introduced the students to the cutting edge and rewarding work being done at Future Foods. Students also took part in experiments extracting DNA and running electrophoresis tests in the CSIRO labs.

The Careers in Science program is an incredible opportunity to broaden the aspirations and confidence of rural students who are interested in science but who may have limited knowledge of how they can convert this interest into study and careers.

Students who have participated in the Careers in Science program previously provided the following feedback:

• I’m so glad our school came to Careers in Science. We experienced things we wouldn’t in the country; it showed me there are more opportunities available than I knew about.
• Thank you for this great experience. Please continue to keep this program running. It is very beneficial
• Thank UTS and CEFA for all your organisation and hard work. Country kids miss out on a lot of opportunities but your work makes a big difference for many!

CEFA is grateful to UTS for inviting us to take part in this worthwhile and rewarding program and for its commitment to rural Australian youth.