As part of Zinfra’s Corporate Social Responsibility program this year for the third year running we partnered with the University of Newcastle for the Science and Engineering Challenge (SEC). This nationwide outreach program involves over 30,000 school kids annually (over 500,000 to date!) completing a series of hands-on design and build STEM activities.
The SEC mission is to provide inspiration to students to make a difference in the world by choosing a career in science, engineering and construction. 50% of participants are female and over 60% are located in regional areas. In partnering with this initiative, Zinfra plays a role in continuing to advocate for gender equity in engineering and reaching students in areas where significant projects are undertaken.
Throughout the year, students from around Australia have been participating in design tasks, where they have worked in teams to solve real-world issues, such as designing and constructing bridges and a variety of other challenges. Various Zinfra team members followed the teams on their journey attending events in the Southern Highlands, Gold Coast and Hobart. Here they judged student designs and provided valuable insights into the industry.
Recently, at the final event held at Deakin University Waurn Ponds, Mark James, Operations Manager alongside Michael Furolo, Program Manager Projects, joined the judging panel and witnessed impressive teamwork by the students with their bridge constructions.
Mark and Michael felt privileged to attend the event with Mark stating, “We were able to see some very bright students put their ingenuity and creative thinking to build and design their bridges. Who knows, some of them may pursue careers with our business in the future.”
Partnerships like these are important to us as we aim to inspire and enhance future generations of STEM leaders and provide opportunities for future career pathways.
