Australia’s ambitions to build a stronger STEM workforce may depend less on what happens in high school and more on what happens before students even reach it.
New research from the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) suggests many children have already decided by the age of 11 whether science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is “for them”, raising questions about whether current education policy is engaging students early enough.
The findings come as governments across Australia continue to prioritise STEM capability as a cornerstone of future economic growth, digital transformation and national productivity. However, the research argues there remains a significant disconnect between policy aspirations and what many students actually experience in schools.
Lead researcher Dr Natalie McMaster said one of the study’s most concerning findings was that technologies subjects, which the Australian Curriculum expects students to study from Year 7 through to Year 9, are often treated as electives from the beginning of secondary school.
“That potentially limits children’s early access to STEM education and pathways,” she said.
For a sector increasingly focused on future workforce shortages, particularly in engineering, technology, healthcare and advanced manufacturing, the findings suggest the pipeline problem may begin much earlier than previously assumed. If students opt out of STEM before entering high school, later interventions may have limited impact.
The research builds on UniSC’s MindSET-do program, which has been running for seven years across 20 schools on the Sunshine Coast. The initiative works with students from Years 4 to 10, particularly in regional and rural communities, using hands-on STEM activities designed to build confidence and sustained interest.
Researchers found that participation significantly improved students’ confidence in STEM subjects, particularly among girls.
Girls reported stronger confidence in coding and technology-related activities after taking part in the program, while boys also benefited, showing particularly strong engagement with practical activities such as drone programming.
The findings reinforce a growing body of international research suggesting that confidence, rather than academic ability, is often the biggest predictor of whether students continue with STEM studies, especially among female students.
Another notable finding was the influence of parents.
The study concluded that parents often have a greater impact than teachers on children’s attitudes towards STEM careers, prompting researchers to recommend involving families much earlier in career conversations.
Associate Professor Michael Carey said schools and local councils should develop structured workshops and resources to help parents understand STEM pathways.
“High school may be too late for some children who could potentially become skilled STEM professionals,” he said.
That recommendation reflects a broader shift occurring across career education, where increasing emphasis is being placed on exposing children to careers well before subject selection occurs in secondary school. Rather than waiting until Years 9 or 10, many education systems are beginning to introduce career awareness during upper primary school.
Associate Professor Margaret Marshman said the urgency was reflected in labour market trends.
She noted that STEM occupations grew at twice the rate of other jobs across Australia during the two decades to 2021, while women’s representation in STEM careers has fallen to fewer than 10 per cent.
The combination of growing workforce demand and declining participation highlights the challenge facing educators and policymakers. While governments continue investing in STEM initiatives, the UniSC research suggests that simply promoting STEM careers in secondary school may come too late for many students.
Instead, sustained, practical experiences in the upper primary years, supported by parents as well as teachers, may prove far more effective in building Australia’s future STEM workforce.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the research demonstrated the value of collaboration between local government and universities in supporting regional workforce development.
“Our future prosperity relies on our young people taking up this challenge with passion and commitment,” she said.
For international education, the findings also carry broader significance. Australia increasingly promotes its strengths in science, technology and innovation to attract both domestic and international students. Ensuring that more young Australians develop confidence and interest in STEM from an early age will be critical not only for addressing domestic skills shortages but also for maintaining Australia’s reputation as a destination for world-class STEM education and research.
