A new national education initiative is bringing aviation and aerospace expertise into Australian classrooms in a bid to spark student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and address long-term skills shortages.
Applications have opened for Aviators in Schools, a program developed by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and delivered in partnership with Aviation/Aerospace Australia. The initiative connects teachers with professionals working across aviation and aerospace, enabling real-world STEM learning experiences aligned with school curricula.
The program comes as Australia continues to face a shortage of STEM skills, alongside persistently low participation rates among women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Industry-led education programs are increasingly viewed as critical to broadening access to future career pathways and building workforce capability in advanced technology sectors.
Director of education and outreach at CSIRO, Ruth Carr, said Aviators in Schools was designed to make STEM learning more engaging and relevant to students’ lives.
“STEM education is critical to Australia’s long-term success and to improving employment opportunities for young people. It provides students with the skills and confidence to explore a wide range of career options and contribute to the industries shaping our future,” Ms Carr said.
Through flexible partnerships, aviation and aerospace professionals work with schools in a variety of ways, including mentoring, career talks, site visits, hands-on demonstrations and co-developed projects. These activities aim to help students better understand how classroom learning connects to real careers.
Chief executive of Aviation/Aerospace Australia, Anntonette Dailey, said the program was designed to tackle well-documented barriers to workforce participation.
“Evidence consistently shows that when we have a diverse workforce, we bring in new perspectives, make stronger decisions, and create the kind of collaborative energy that drives real creativity and innovation,” Ms Dailey said.
“We know that a lack of access to relevant role models and mentors, as well as awareness about the opportunities available — especially in non-traditional roles such as engineering and technical jobs – continue to present a significant barrier to participation.
“We are proud to partner with CSIRO to address these gaps and attract new talent, particularly women, to the industry,” she said.
Early participants are already reporting positive outcomes. Teacher at Findon Primary School in Victoria, Steevi-Anne Flack, said working with aeronautical engineer Joelle Chia helped shape the school’s new STEM program.
“STEM was a new initiative in our school, and our vision wasn’t clear on where we wanted to take it. This collaboration brought fresh ideas and helped us see exciting possibilities,” Ms Flack said.
“Students were engaged in the lessons and experiments, and it was fascinating for them to see real-world connections, especially when activities like making lava lamps linked to aerospace engineering.”
Aviators in Schools is free for registered Australian primary and secondary school teachers and is open to STEM professionals with aviation, aerospace or related experience. The initiative forms part of CSIRO’s STEM Professionals in Schools program, which supported 1,100 teachers and 900 STEM professionals nationwide in 2025.
