20 Oct 2022 | 3 mins
Overview
  • We break down what it actually means to pursue study or a career in STEM
  • If you're interested in a STEM career, ANU can be a great place to get qualified! Check out their site over here

If I had to guess right, you have probably heard a lot about STEM recently, but might have ended up nodding along and not actually understanding what it’s all about. That’s more than okay - we’ve been there too! It’s a pretty broad term, so I’m here to break it down for you.

But first, let me explain what it stands for.

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

If you’re in high school or have graduated, you’ll know that these are separate subjects – so why are these four grouped together… and not English or PDHPE?
These four fields share some commonalities. They’re innovative, all about problem-solving and use critical thinking. A lot of jobs in STEM fields also use overlapping, similar practices, like mathematical formulas or computers in their day-to-day jobs.
Just in case you’ve sat in class, wondering how you were going to end up using Pythagoras Theorem, HTML code or the periodic table - STEM is here to save the day. Talking about what you learn in school…

You can use the skills you already have

Did you know that if you are skilled in:

  • Problem-solving
  • Creative thinking
  • Collaboration and leadership
  • Computers and technology

You already have the expertise needed in a STEM field?

Think about how you can overcome obstacles, think out-of-the-box, lead a group project or fix your grandparents new smart TV. These are all essential skills you most likely already have, that you can develop and improve on - and also get paid to do it! Find out what you enjoy doing and suss out the job options.

In-demand jobs are always available

Now that you might have found your niche in the STEM field, you’re study and job ready. As an example, the world of technology is continuously evolving with new developments and projects that are making our lives that little bit easier every single day, and there are so many jobs available! Think about that IT guy in school that fixes everything but waaaay cooler (that guy is still pretty ace, tbh).
You could be a computer programmer, web developer, data scientist or help desk support – every big business or start-up is always on the hunt for some tech game-changers, and you could be one of them! The Australian National University (ANU) College of Engineering & Computer Science has the study options available to get you there.

Just take it from ANU Alumni, Leana:
“I am a UX researcher and the best part of this industry is being at the cutting edge of technology, making sure it serves real human needs and actually helping people to get things done.”

You can turn your hobbies into your career

There are some pretty exciting jobs you never knew existed – or maybe ones you didn’t think were classified as STEM. Some that we think are pretty cool, are:

  • Game designer – apply your ideas to the next biggest game
  • VR engineer – VR has grown far beyond gaming!
  • Software developer – could you build a mobile app as big as TikTok?
  • Blockchain engineer – learn all about the technology behind bitcoin and dogecoin

You’ve heard and read why everyone wants in on the STEM field, so… are you in? Find out how you can start shaping your career in tech with ANU College of Engineering & Computer Science to create the innovative technologies of tomorrow!