“My ambition is to put engineering on a pedestal as a career for Indigenous Australian students and help them to think about it in the same way they do for health and education as an opportunity to achieve their dreams.”
So said Professor Les Dawes, an academic dedicated to actively championing First Nations students and breaking down some of the barriers that have prevented them from studying engineering disciplines.
Dawes was appointed Assistant Dean, Engagement with Indigenous Australians, at Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Faculty of Engineering in November 2023 with a remit to investigate how the faculty can attract and retain more Indigenous Australian students.
QUT Faculty of Engineering currently has 124 Indigenous Australian students with 86 studying engineering – more than any other Australian university and eight times as many as a decade ago.
But Dawes acknowledges there is still much work to be done to further increase the numbers, and that improving diversity is critical for the engineering profession.
“Indigenous participation has rapidly grown, but it’s still very low,” he said. “They represent 3.8 per cent of the Australian population, but only two per cent of our engineering students. That’s a higher percentage than elsewhere, but QUT has ambitions to reach parity.”
Engaging with schools
QUT Faculty of Engineering runs several initiatives with schools that have contributed to its success in attracting Indigenous students.
- ASPIRE Mentorship Program: A year-long immersion program for year 10, 11 and 12 students that matches students with academic mentors and engages high school students from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds
- Cultural Immersion Programs on Country: Students are immersed in authentic cultural experiences that offer opportunities to explore engineering within the context of their own Indigenous Australian culture and identity.
- Dean’s Award for Indigenous Students: $3000 bursaries for school leavers with outstanding achievements in design and engineering
- Oodgeroo STEM workshops: Hands-on education sessions delivered by QUT Indigenous student ambassadors to inspire schoolchildren about STEM opportunities
- Industry Partnerships and Scholarships: Long-term partnerships including industry scholarships with Arcadia, Blaklash and CS Energy for Indigenous Australian students interested in pursuing a STEM degree
“There are still a number of barriers to entry,” Dawes said. “One is that many don’t understand what engineers do and how they improve people’s lives. Another is worrying that they can’t do it if they’re not good at maths, which is a myth. Maths is a language, so the more you practise, the better you get.
“I was a country kid, good at maths and problem-solving but had never heard of engineering, so I went into geology instead and only discovered engineering later.
“The situation’s gradually improving though, and more than 100 Queensland schools now have engineering studies on their curriculums.”
One of the biggest problems is a shortage of STEM teachers, particularly outside metropolitan areas where many First Nations children live. Dawes, a past president of the Australasian Association of Engineering Education, spent five years on a national project to find ways to increase the number of STEM teachers, but many schools are still struggling to source suitable staff.
“If a remote school can’t recruit suitable teachers, the subject simply won’t be taught,” he said. “And even when there are teachers, they’re usually not properly trained to run engineering or STEM classes. Across the country, around a third of teachers are teaching out of their field.”
Enhancing representation
To help more Indigenous Australian students into engineering, the QUT Connections Strategy offers research scholarships that specifically align with community needs. They focus on integrating university studies with First Nations stories to enhance representation in the built environment.
Meanwhile, a tailored five-day Cultural Immersion Study Tour lets participants gain hands-on industry experience while exploring projects undertaken by Indigenous-owned partners.
Another QUT initiative aims to make sure that those Indigenous students who do enrol reach their full potential, including flexible entry pathways. The Oodgeroo Unit caters to the diverse needs of more than 800 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through academic, personal and cultural support.
Along with the Keystone to Success program run by Indigenous Australian students, it features computer laboratories, study spaces and opportunities to socialise.
“Indigenous Australian students have the capacity to provide unique engineering solutions,” Dawes said. “Some companies now have members of our Indigenous alumni as mentors to support recent graduates and provide a role model, which is wonderful to see.
“I’m proud of the steps QUT has taken, and we’re determined to do even more to unleash their potential in a profession crying out for a wider diversity of talent. We can’t do this alone and need industry partners to support our ongoing endeavours.
To partner and make change in this space, contact QUT Faculty of Engineering at [email protected].
