Our STEM skilled future — An education roadmap for an innovative workforce

Our nation currently lacks the capacity and critical capabilities to be able to deliver on our technology-powered, human-driven potential – both now, and into the future. The impacts of COVID-19 on border closures and impacts on skilled migration, coupled with rapid advances in business digitisation and transformation, have exposed the fact that Australia’s workforce needs to be more resilient and responsive if we are to ensure we have enough science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workers in the roles where they are needed most, and to prevent us from becoming a global digital and technological laggard.

The Fellows at the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) have identified five key areas that require immediate attention if we are to unlock the country’s technological potential. These are in the areas of mathematics, digital skills, agricultural technologies, engineering, and entrepreneurship. Expert Fellows in each of these domains highlighted the critical issues in these areas and hosted a series of five roundtables to consult Australia’s leading experts across a broad and diverse range of sectors and industries and explore short and medium-term policy solutions to address the pressing challenges identified. Their topic-specific recommendations are presented in this report.

Four themes emerged as overarching recommendations that apply to each domain and to addressing STEM skills shortages more broadly. The recommendations acknowledge key work and initiatives to be learned from and built upon, wherever possible.

1. Establish a National Skills Taxonomy to streamline consistent communication
   about needs and pathways among Australia’s organisations and individuals.
   
   
2. Prioritise and invest in evidence-based approaches to STEM program
   development and assessment to ensure education and training is
   fit-for-purpose and provides value for money.
   
   
3. Promote and support a culture of lifelong STEM learning in the workforce
   to ensure Australia has the skills it needs now and into the future.
   
   
4. Raise the profile of STEM careers in Australia to showcase their
   accessibility and attractiveness.