The Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program aims to increase access to, and participation of, women in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) field.
Objectives of the program
The Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program aims to promote equality of opportunity in higher education, through increasing access to, and participation of, up to 600 employed women to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
The key objectives of the program are to:
- Help women upskill in STEM fields or build STEM careers
- Develop a higher education pathway to produce graduates with workplace skills in STEM fields
- Increase the number of STEM-qualified women in the labour force.
About the program
The 2020-21 Budget committed $25.1 million from 2020-21 to 2024-25 to the program. Under the initiative, approved higher education providers receive grant funding to develop and deliver pre-bachelor STEM courses to support women, in collaboration with industry partners, to study part-time while they continue their careers.
The program also helps to increase Australia’s STEM-skilled workforce by assisting industry partners to upskill their workers with job-relevant skills. Eligible employers may receive grant funds (up to $5,000 per employee, per year) to support employees’ participation in the program. These funds can be used to provide flexible work arrangements or to cover costs associated with study. Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
There have been two application rounds to date – Round 1 in 2020 and Round 2 in 2022. A list of higher education providers participating in the program, including information on approved courses, are available.
More information about the program can be found in the Higher Education Support (Other Grants) Guidelines 2022, or the program’s Frequently Asked Questions page.
Contact
For questions about the program, please email TertiaryProjects@education.gov.au.
Program announcements
Outcomes of the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program Round 2 announced.
Supporting more women in STEM | Ministers' Media Centre
More STEM Opportunities for Australian Women | Ministers' Media Centre
Provider Announcements
Charles Sturt University
Flinders University
Swinburne University of Technology
University of Newcastle