inspiring students

veski’s inspiring students program is a bold new venture that draws on veski’s established programs to lift the participation rates in the sciences amongst secondary school students.

Read about the class of 2014: another year of veski inspiring students

With a growing number of Victorian students not participating in science subjects, student achievement, particularly the number of high performing students, is continually less than that of our national and international counterparts.

This program will help Victorian secondary schools engage students from Year 7 to 10 to actively participate in science at school by introducing inquiry-based teaching, which ultimately contributes to the pipeline of students considering a post-secondary science course. 

Victoria requires a strong local supply of young graduates interested in pursuing a career in science. The presence of world-class researchers, and the conduct of leading research in the State of Victoria, is fundamental to Victoria’s capacity to grow and prosper.

Over the next three years with additional funding from the Victorian Coalition Government veski will develop and pilot an inspiring students program to:

• increase student engagement in science activities
• provide professional development opportunities for teachers
• increase awareness of science technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related career opportunities to students, teachers and parents

In addition to lifting the participation rate and interest in science amongst students the pilot program will support secondary schools in developing teacher capacity and aim to become science centres of excellence within their local areas.

With the support of the veski family and veski connection members, including Victorian scientists, innovators and business leaders, veski will deliver activities and experiences for students and teachers to encourage scientific engagement through secondary school and onto university.

A series of activities and resources developed as part of veski’s inspiring students program will give students access to real world science and provide their teachers with unique professional development opportunities.

Working with representatives from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, veski is supporting three secondary/P-12 schools in non-metropolitan regions identified as recipients of the Science Laboratory Refurbishment Grant.

The Science Laboratory Refurbishment Grant is a Victorian Government initiative aimed at refurbishing science infrastructure and resources in schools who have not received funding through the Building the Education Revolution program (BER).

The three schools involved in the pilot program representing Gippsland, Hume and Loddon Mallee regions are Neerim District, Mooroopna and Kyneton secondary colleges.