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 studying 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 $25.1 million program (2020–21 to 2026–2027) provides grant funding to approved higher education providers to develop and deliver pre-bachelor STEM qualifications to support women to study part-time while they continue their careers.
By supporting part-time higher education STEM pathways for employed women, the program helps to increase Australia’s STEM-skilled workforce by assisting industry partners to upskill their workers employees with job-relevant and future-ready skills.
Up to $5,000 per employee, per year, to a maximum of $10,000 for a Diploma and $20,000 for an Associate Degree is available for eligible employers to support employees’ participation in the program. These funds can be used to provide flexible work arrangements or to cover costs associated with study, tuition fees or other study-related expenses.
There were two application rounds which were open to all eligible higher education providers in 2020 (Round 1) and 2022 (Round 2). Successful providers from these rounds now deliver a number of STEM-related courses under the program. Further information is available at Approved providers and courses. 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 emailTertiaryProjects@education.gov.au
For questions relating to enrolment and course details, please contact an approved higher education provider.
Program announcements
2023
Announced in the 2023–24 Budget, the Women in STEM Cadetships and Advanced Apprenticeships Program has been extended by two years to 2026–27, providing more time for women to study part-time under the program while managing competing commitments. No further application rounds have been announced.