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This page has information for students about career opportunities in STEM.
Choosing a STEM career pathway
The middle years of school is an ideal time to think about career pathways before choosing senior secondary subjects.
When thinking about the different career paths, consider:
- ‘what problems do I want to solve?’
- ‘how do I want to help people and society?’
- ‘how can I be part of this, what skills do I need and what is the pathway?’
Watch this short video to discover the world of STEM with future you.
These links can help you to discover your interests and learn about many STEM career opportunities:
- RiAus – working in STEM series – find out about STEM careers that you may not have considered or been aware of until now
- Future you – for children from 8 to 12 years to learn about the world of opportunities awaiting them through STEM. Explore a universe of possibilities with us.
- myfuture website – for students, teachers and parents to explore career pathways, with tools for discovering interests, values, skills and how they relate to career and study options
- Careers with STEM website – resources to explore STEM career pathways, with an online quiz to find out about careers that align with personal strengths and interests.
Careers in defence
In South Australia, there is an increasing demand for workers with trade, technical, and science and technology skills. Jobs include building and maintaining:
- ships
- submarines
- armoured vehicles
- infrastructure and facilities.
There are also jobs in:
- intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
- cyber and electronics.
There is education and training available through university and VET school pathway programs. The list below may be helpful.
- Defence SA industry workforce
- Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (STEM) Career Pathways
- Australian Government Department of Defence: STEM careers.
Careers in space
South Australia is the nations Space State. Home to a network of innovative space companies and start-ups and leading research and development institutions working at the cutting-edge of satellite and space technologies. This work is helping us to drive Australia’s international space efforts and create on Earth benefits for future generations.
The state’s vibrant and thriving space ecosystem is growing, creating exciting career opportunities for South Australian students, and STEM skills are vital for the space industry to grow and to meet future workforce needs.
Find out more about the South Australian Space Sector
Find out more about the Australian Space Discovery Centre.
Find out more about STEM careers
- Pathways for a career in space – space needs all types of skillsets
- STEM Careers Guide 2020–21 – a guide to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
- Digital Technologies Hub – careers in digital technologies
- Careers in Mathematics – career opportunities across all industry sectors.
Tertiary study pathways
Find out about studying STEM at university:
- Flinders University
- University of Adelaide
- University of Adelaide – Karnkanthi Indigenous Education Program
- University of South Australia
- University of South Australia – Indigenous Internship Program (CareerTrackers)
These are also useful links to explore:
- Vocational education training (VET) pathways – start a vocational education pathway at school
- The Good Universities Guide – top reasons to study STEM – find a course to suit all interests
- National Youth Science Forum – Year 12 program – youth experiences for young Australians