Transcriber: Ivana Korom Reviewer: Kim Key
Over the past 5 years, my organization Robogals
has taught robotics to over 10,000 girls
as a way to show them
the possibilities of a career in engineering.
Prior to us coming in,
most of the girls had no idea what engineering is.
On feedback surveys they tell us things like,
"I thought it had to do with engines."
"It has to do with metal."
"I thought they were train drivers."
And my personal favorite,
"I was wondering if you know Shelden of the Big Bang Theory."
(Laughter)
In my head, we're friends.
(Laughter)
So, what is engineering, exactly?
Engineering is a practical application of all sciences.
Civil engineers built this, the Sydney Opera House.
Electronics engineers created your mobile phones.
Chemical engineers made paper.
Almost every kind of engineer is involved in making a plane.
Engineers even created things like this, apparently.
[Engineering is to create new things like this.] (Laughter)
But the question I put to you today is,
'Why are we, as a country, doing such a bad job
at inspiring the next generation to become engineers?'
In Australia, and in the other countries where Robogals operates,
including the US and the UK,
there's currently a dire shortage of engineers.
While my initiative focuses mostly on girls,
my message today is regarding both genders.
Because this is a real problem.
Matt Barrie, the CEO of Freelancer.com recently said
he's lucky to get just one software engineer job applicant per day.
But when he put up an ad for an office manager,
he received 350 applicants in 2 days.
Like these kids,
I didn't know what engineering was when I was growing up.
My mom wanted me to be a doctor
because I'm Asian. (Laughter)
(Applause)
It wasn't until my final year of high school
that I went to a 4-day engineering camp
and got to learn how to build robots out of Lego,
shoot water rockets into the sky
and make a mechatronic catapault.
I learned that with engineering,
you can work on exciting and world-changing projects.
Mind equals blown! (Laughter)
So I know that outreach works because it worked on me.
And I'm not the only one.
[Any other comments? Love you all and call me!!!] (Laughter)
So we need to be teaching our kids
from as early as primary school, how to make stuff
through robotics workshops,
computer programming, engineering site visits,
to show them how the things they're doing in the classroom
relate directly to amazing, real-world applications.
"Because it's fun to create a new thing."
As this third-grader in California told us.
This, in the middle, is Katy.
She went to teach robotics for a whole week
on the south coast of Victoria.
On the last day, at the end of the last session,
a girl ran up to her and said,
"I really want to be an engineer now!"
For Katy and the volunteers on the trip
it was like,
"Achievement Unlocked!" (Laughter)
But there's no secret sauce to our program.
The difference is, we just go out there and do it!
But we, the Robogals,
can only reach a tiny fraction of the schools out there.
For the future of this nation,
all schools need to be teaching our kids to be makers.
Because a nation that doesn't create,
is forced to just consume.
And for the nation that does create,
the sky is the limit.
(Applause)
Thank you. Thank you. (Applause)