Futures in Engineering program

Applications for the 2012 round of the Futures in Engineering program closed on 2 March 2012.  View the Key Dates section below for details of when applicants will be informed about selection for the Taster Days (15 March 2012) and for the FiE full program.

Students in Year 10 at public schools in Tasmania are being offered the opportunity in 2012 to explore the engineering profession through a unique industry-linked program that includes (over an 8 month period) group activities for like-minded students and individual placements with mentors in engineering companies and organisations.

What is the Futures in Engineering (FiE) program?
Watch the inspiring video to the right - made by a Year 10 student in 2011 - about her experience with the Program and her placement with an engineer at Botanical Resources in Ulverstone. All the students on the program make a video diary like this and present it to their mentors and parents at the Presentation Night dinner in Launceston at the end of the Program.

The Futures in Engineering (FiE) program provides students with an authentic engineering experience through interacting with a range of engineering professionals, university academics and current engineering students. Students participating in this program will be better informed to take action, make plans and get organised towards engineering career pathways.  It is also hoped that students will be more inspired to continue with studying maths and science in high school and college when they see how such knowledge is used in the real world (and what kind of careers can result).

The FiE program is a joint initiative of the Tasmania Division of Engineers Australia and Guaranteeing Futures (Department of Education). Significant in-kind contributions are also made by a wide range of Tasmanian engineering professionals and their employers, the University of Tasmania (School of Engineering) and the Australian Maritime College.

Who should apply?

1. highly motivated Year 10 students at public schools in Tasmania
2. demonstrated high level maths/science ability
3. excellent communication and presentation skills
4. has a desire to learn more about the engineering profession

How to apply:

Students are to complete an application form (endorsed by science or maths teacher and school principal). Application forms are available below or from your school. Submit applications by hand to the Pathway Planning Officer in your school, or by post to the Guaranteeing Futures contacts included on the application form.

Applications close on 2 March 2012.

FiE Application form 2012

Information for students    

Information for parents     

Information for schools     

Key information about the Program:

Applicants from public schools around Tasmania will short-listed to participate in ‘engineering taster’ days on Thursday March 15 (in Hobart, Burnie, or Launceston). The days will include interaction with local engineers, engaging information on engineering as a career, and fun sessions at local educational institutions. Selection for a Taster Day will be based on the written application (spaces on the day in each region are limited). 32 students will then be selected to participate in the FiE program, based on the written application and informal interviews undertaken on the Taster Days.

The full FiE program will begin with a 3 day (2 nights) residential camp in Hobart in early May which will consist of lectures and hands-on workshops in the School of Engineering (University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay campus).  Students will also visit leading Hobart engineering companies and observe current projects in a range of engineering disciplines.

Students will then be partnered with an engineering company and mentor (generally located in Hobart, Launceston, Burnie or Devonport).  The timing of placement days will be negotiated between the engineering company and the school to ensure students access the best possible learning outcomes in the workplace but should total between 5 -10 days, spread over the year from June to October, at times of mutual convenience to the student and mentor.  Education Department staff will arrange first meetings between the students, mentors and parent(s) in May and June 2012. Parents will be responsible for ensuring that students are able to travel to the mentors’ workplace for the placements. The mentor organisations from 2011 are detailed here.

In Term 3 students will visit the Australian Maritime College to gain a broader overview of the diverse paths available within engineering.  This residential is planned for October (dates TBC) and ends with a celebration dinner during which students present video stories of their experiences on the program. Parents and mentors are invited to this celebration dinner.

Students who are not selected to participate in the full FiE program will be invited to maintain their connection with the program and be informed of other opportunities and news related to engineering as an inspiration and career option.

What does it cost?

There are no fees to participate in the FiE program but successful students will be required to contribute $35 to cover organised leisure activity expenses during the UTAS and AMC components. Students and their parents/guardians will also be responsible for costs associated with travel to the mentor placements.

The direct and indirect costs for the FiE are covered by Engineers Australia Tasmania Division, Guaranteeing Futures (Department of Education), and the partner organisations as a component of strategic efforts to promote the study of science and maths in schools and to enhance the science and engineering capabilities of Tasmanian communities and industries.  The mentor organisations from 2011 are detailed here.

Key dates:

Students should be prepared to commit to the program over the year through participation in University and AMC experiences and 5 to 10 days in a work placement with a host employer.

Key Dates for FiE program in 2012

Who is behind the FiE program?

Engineers Australia Tasmania Division, in addition to providing significant sponsorship funds for the program, manages the overall program and is responsible for recruiting and allocating the engineering professionals who serve as mentors. Guaranteeing Futures staff manage the selection of students and the individual placements of the students with their engineering mentors, and also arrange and supervise the Taster Days and group visits to UTAS and the AMC.

The FiE program is open to Year 10 students from public schools across Tasmania, but the engineering companies and organisations who provide industry-based mentoring for the students (a key element of the program) are concentrated around Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie (with some exceptions). Applicants from more remote locations will need to undertake their placements in these regions and should indicate on the application (Section A1) if accommodation arrangements can be made to support 1 week (or preferably a total of 2 weeks) placement in one of these 4 areas.

Want more information?

Information for parents, students and schools is included in the PDF documents above. Further information about the program can be sourced from the Guaranteeing Futures staff in each region. These contacts will be responsible for selecting students to participate in the Taster Days in each region and the full FiE program.