Quantum Victoria was buzzing with curiosity and possibility during the inaugural STEM Careers Day, held on Tuesday May 12. Housed on the campus of Charles La Trobe College, this Centre of Excellence in STEM hosts a variety of events and programs for both primary and secondary students. Year 10-12 students from Charles La Trobe College, Bundoora Secondary College, Glenroy College, Mount Ridley P-12 College and Y Community School were welcomed at the event. In2science mentors joined the action, supporting hands‑on activities and sharing their own journeys into STEM. The participants rotated through five interesting and engaging activities throughout the day, including two delivered by La Trobe University students. Experts in dentistry, architecture, and engineering delivered sessions, allowing the students the opportunity to ask questions and explore these diverse career pathways. Exhibitors from organisations including RMIT University, Melbourne Polytechnic, and Australian Signals Directorate were also available during the day, offering advice and sparking conversations about future pathways.
One of the standout sessions was an energetic workshop on exercise science, led by La Trobe students Jamie‑Lee, Hayley and Bree, alongside In2science mentor Sneha. The room quickly transformed into a mini physiotherapy clinic as students tested their mobility with lunges and squats while their peers assessed technique. This gave the students a glimpse into the real-life experience of a career in sports science. Sneha, studying a Master of Cybersecurity at Deakin University, said, “I enjoyed volunteering for careers day at Quantum!! The team conducted a mobility test among students; it was great to see all the students participate actively and their curiosity to learn about fitness. The workshop ended in a ‘plank challenge’, which was a fun competition. The longest plank was about 3 minutes!! It’s amazing to learn how our body works!”
The second La Trobe-led session, “Pesky Pathogens”, took students into the microscopic world of infectious disease. STEM students Gihansa, Hayley, Lenna, and In2science mentors Mei and Emma, guided the students through a simulation of how easily disease is spread and what we can do to prevent this. A mix‑and‑match activity helped students link common diseases to the organisms that cause them. The presenters shared their own pathways into university and their study interests, and discussed how an interest in pathogens can lead to a variety of careers. Emma, a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science student at La Trobe University, said, “The students participated in a fun activity, simulating transmission rates of infective diseases. It was amazing to see so many students engaged with the session over the course of the day, and getting to answer their STEM questions.”
In2science would like to thank Quantum for hosting this incredible event, and Belinda D’Angelo from Widening Participation and Outreach at La Trobe for inviting our mentors to be part of it. We look forward to working together in the future to continue to spark curiosity and build confidence with STEM learning.
