Giving young Aussies the chance to develop skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) is more important than ever, so we are excited to be launching Camp Amazon, a new program intended to introduce, inspire, and encourage children from underserved and low-income communities to pursue careers in STEM.
Our new program gives 100 students in New South Wales and Victoria the opportunity to participate in a wide-ranging, two-year program to develop their STEM skills. Each term, participating students will attend after school or school holidays workshops that focus on a range of STEM activities at our fulfilment centres in either Melbourne or Sydney, led by Amazon and industry leaders in the STEM field.
Upon their successful completion of the two-year program, we will proudly be awarding each student a $500 Amazon voucher to support them in their future studies or careers.
Tye Brady, Amazon Robotics chief technologist, hosted a workshop for 25 students in Year 5 and 6 at Hoxton Park Public School, which he hopes will help to inspire a love of STEM that sets them up for long-term success.
Amazon has long recognised the importance of providing the next generation with the resources needed to pursue a STEM education. I’m excited to share my passion for technology with these young students, as well as donate $10,000 on Amazon’s behalf to their school to buy the STEM resources.
At Amazon, we can see in our own growing business that the jobs of tomorrow will require a stronger aptitude for STEM, and we want to be part of the solution that sets children up to succeed. In Australia, there are 100,000 students currently involved in studying some type of STEM program outside of the school curriculum, but with over 3.2 million students enrolled in Years 1-10, the majority are still lacking valuable exposure to the subjects according to the 2016 ACARA National Report.
We believe Camp Amazon will better prepare Australian students to meet the demands of the jobs of the future and we will work alongside industry partners to offer their insights and play an active role in the program. We believe we can help reverse the current trend, which recently saw enrolments in STEM at their lowest level in 20 years according to the 2017 National Scientific Statement.
How to enter
Students in Year 3 to Year 6 are eligible to enter the two-year program and need to be able to travel to the workshops at either Moorebank in Sydney or Dandenong South in Melbourne.
Students are encouraged to submit via email their short entry to contact@campamazon.com.au outlining their responses to the following three engaging questions, along with name, age, school, and class.
Questions:
1. What is your passion?
2. What does your dream job of the future looks like?
3. Who is someone you admire or look up to in the field of STEM, and why?
Responses can be submitted in written form with illustrations or via a short mobile phone video with permission from a parent or guardian to contact@campamazon.com.au. Please note original entries won’t be returned.
The Amazon Privacy Policy will apply to all personal details provided with an entry.
Each entry must be the entrant’s own original work. Winners will be determined by the Amazon selection panel based on students being in Year 3-6, passionate responses to all three questions and being able to travel and attend the workshops. Amazon reserves the right to vary or cancel this competition or the Camp Amazon event at any time.
Entries close Friday 14 June 2019 and winners will be notified by email week commencing 17 June 2019.
