Engineering winter school enhances STEM pathways for Indigenous youth
Masters of Mechatronics student, Joshua Van Bockel, says the Victorian Indigenous Engineering Winter School (VIEWS) program provided him with the knowledge and resources to pursue his dreams of engineering.
VIEWS, an initiative arising from the 2015 National Indigenous Engineering Summit, is a collaborative venture between the University of Melbourne, RMIT University, Swinburne University, and Monash University. The program aims to provide high school students with an immersive engineering experience while enhancing awareness of what life is like at university and the types of courses available.
Nearly a decade after its inception, VIEWS continues to inspire Indigenous youth across Australia. The seven-day, all-expenses-covered program gives students the opportunity to experience first-hand the work of engineers and information technology specialist, meet Indigenous engineering professionals, and discover pathways into engineering and information technology.
Joshua Van Bockel is one of many alumni who have benefited from the VIEWS program. After attending VIEWS in 2017, he gained a better understanding of what an engineer's day-to-day life is like.
“VIEWS gave me a window into what it’s like to be an engineer and the different skills engineers use,” he says.
Due to graduate in 2024, Joshua is gearing up to finish his Masters at the University of Melbourne. He says he was lucky to know he wanted to pursue engineering at a young age. VIEWS helped solidify his decision to study engineering by humanising the industry and making the university process less intimidating.
“We heavily engaged in learning about what it takes to be an engineer. We visited engineering firms and spent the day with their engineers, while also gaining professional insight.”
Over the seven days, Joshua, alongside other VIEWS participants, stayed at a University of Melbourne residential college, Trinity College. This enabled students to experience Melbourne and the surrounding areas firsthand and form strong bonds with other participants.
“The program had a large social aspect. We watched a football game at the MCG [Melbourne Cricket Ground] and learned more about Aboriginal culture. A networking event was also organised, where we had the opportunity to meet many industry professionals.”
As a high school student, Joshua valued the chance to visit each of the four VIEWS participant universities’ campuses and gain an insight into a day in the life of a university student.
“I saw different university grounds, and from this I was able to get an understanding of which university would be the right fit for me. I also learned what each university offered to help support Indigenous students. I chose The University of Melbourne because it was where I felt most at home.”
Joshua reflected on the opportunities the program provides students and the insights that can be gained through engagement in the program.
“One of the biggest barriers for Indigenous students entering the tech and STEM space is the lack of experience and information, which is why the VIEWS program is so valuable. Through VIEWS, you get an inside point of view of the industry.”
While prospective students can gain a lot from attending VIEWS, Joshua says that it is equally valuable for universities to continue fostering relationships with Indigenous youth.
“It comes down to difference in experience. The difference that Indigenous youth can bring in ideas, perspective and experience has a lot of power,” he says.
Joshua has big aspirations for his future. Now, he’s finishing his industry-based internship and is looking forward to applying his practical skills in the workforce. When asked where he sees himself in five years, he says he is still tossing around the idea of a PhD and is eager to start taking steps towards his own robotics company.
Joshua at the Semester 1 Endeavour Exhibition 2024
To learn more about the Victorian Indigenous Engineering Winter School, please visit our webpage
To learn more about Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology Indigenous programs and initiatives, please visit our webpage