Description
Long-term declines in school physics participation, flatlining enrolments in university physics degrees and significant gender gaps all signal that we need new solutions if we’re going to meet Australia’s projected need for 150,000 engineers by 2036.
But Australia is not the only country facing this problem.
In the US, the need for a future workforce is also urgent. For example, the semiconductor industry is projected to need nearly 115,000 additional workers by 2030, with estimates suggesting that around 67,000 of these roles could go unfilled without further action.
How is the US preparing to build this workforce for this re-emerging industry?
They’re investing in education programs.
The Semiconductor Connections, Alignment, Learning & Engagement Program (SCALE K-12) is a key program building this workforce capability. Aligned with the broad goals of the $280 billion US CHIPS and Science Act (2022), SCALE K-12 aims to strengthen domestic semiconductor research, manufacturing and workforce capability.
At the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science (COMBS), there is a strong parallel. Our Centre also needs to build a future workforce for an emerging technology: microchip-based optical frequency combs, also known as microcombs.
Earlier this year, we invited the SCALE K-12 Program Lead Professor Tamara Moore to share insights into building educational pathways for an emerging technology sector. As the first COMBS Fellow, Professor Moore provided a unique perspective on how we can plan our Education and Outreach program.
Beginning with well-designed education programs in the early years, grounding student learning in local contexts and creating repeated touch points across a student’s pathway are some of the learnings we present as a case study.
We present insights for research groups planning education programs, and tangible takeaways for individual physicists hoping to contribute to Australia’s workforce underpinned by physics.
| I am the presenting author | Yes |
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| If you are not the presenting author, please give the presenting author's name: | Will most likely be co-presenting with other authors. |