Take part in major STEM survey

A new survey being run by Science & Technology Australia hopes to gather updated evidence on STEM career pathways and movement across the sector, aiming to inform policy.

The STEM Career Pathways survey — launched earlier this week — will offer Australia’s most comprehensive snapshot of the conditions and career patterns for scientists, technologists, mathematicians and engineers.

The study will gather crucial information on workloads, conditions, career development and opportunities for people to move between industry and research across Australia’s STEM sector. It will inform research commissioned by the Office of the Chief Scientist for the Prime Minister’s National Science and Technology Council.

“The STEM Career Pathways survey will be an Australian first: taking the pulse of the whole STEM sector to gather fresh evidence on STEM career patterns and pathways,” said Science & Technology Australia CEO Misha Schubert.

“We need everyone working in STEM careers — and those who have left them — to fill out this survey to ensure Australia can recruit, retain and nurture the STEM talent we know our economy will desperately need in the years ahead.

“The information the survey gathers will help ensure Australia can source and safeguard the brilliant scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians we’ll need to build the key future industries that will shape our destiny,” Schubert said.

The survey is open now and closes at midnight on 14 June, 2023. Schubert said it was crucial that as many STEM-qualified people as possible took the opportunity to share their experiences.

“By taking around 10 minutes to do this survey, people in the STEM sector will contribute valuable evidence to inform how policy settings shape STEM careers. It’s an important way the STEM sector itself can contribute to better working conditions and career security.”

The survey can be taken using this link.

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