How parent associations are preparing students for future careers

Parent associations are at the heart of the school when it comes to connecting communities, fundraising and helping the school with their projects.

While you might expect the regular bake sale or sausage sizzle, some parent associations around Australia have embarked on amazing projects to help teach students valuable skills and prepare them for the future.

Improving STEM education and support

There's been a lot of discussion about the importance of developing skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) for our kids. Over the next 30 years, 75% of the fastest growing professions will require STEM-related skills.

However, girls have traditionally been tracked away from science and maths throughout their education, resulting in a greater need to encourage more female students to participate in STEM programs and break gender stereotypes.

The Parents and Friends' Association at St Catherine’s School, an all-girls’ school in Sydney, has been actively raising money for STEM resources and has procured three Ultimaker S3 3D printers for the junior school to change the way students engage with STEM.

While developing skills such as creativity, problem-solving and computer-aided design (CAD), these printers give students the opportunity to create their original designs and own prototypes in a fun way.

Learning hands-on practical skills

With hospitality workers currently in high demand, the P&C Association at Brisbane Bayside State College has set up a training cafe for students.

Working with the school’s hospitality and home economics teachers, ‘Caffeination Station’ provides students with the opportunity to gain practical knowledge, hone their skills as baristas, and learn the importance of teamwork and communications. It also serves a vital role providing drinks and tasty treats to staff and students several times per week, as well as catering many events like open days, sporting carnivals and night functions.

Developing foundational skills

Foundational learning forms the basis of all future learning and helps ensure better life outcomes for students. This has led to the P&C at Ashdale Primary School in Perth to organise a range of initiatives that help students to develop their foundational skills.

Through sensory play, students are encouraged to learn via exploration, curiosity, problem solving and creativity. It helps to build nerve connections in the brain and encourages the development of language and motor skills.