The rapid speed at which technological advancement is currently occurring has led to frequent discussion on what jobs in the future may look like. Amidst all the discussion one common conclusion seems to be drawn – jobs of the future are highly likely to require skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or otherwise now commonly referred to as STEM.
So it is no surprise that government departments are backing many STEM initiatives with free flowing ‘Innovation’ funding that has produced a varied marketplace of STEM based programs for school students. This week however, the Department of Education and Training has released a Request for Tender (RFT) that targets school leadership, seeking to educate and mentor Schools Principals as STEM leaders. This is a research project which will be run as three streams that begin with an initial research task which would then inform the development of professional learning modules. The third stream is a monitoring element which then assesses best practice approaches over the life of the research project. The overall aim is to drive a whole-of-school collaborative effort in STEM engagement and learning outcomes.
The project is being funded out of the National Science and Innovation Agenda budget and is expected to cost in the order of $2.8million. Commencement is scheduled for January 2018 with a final report due December 2020. Tenders close 15 November with the opportunity to provide additional supporting material within three days of the tender closing via USB. Tenderers must bid on all three streams of the project, noting that joint bids (ie consortiums are acceptable).If you are after specific advice on this tender or any other opportunity listed below, feel free to contact us.