BOC and Gateway School team up to create gas guide for chemistry classes
Our Gateway Days have a reputation for being the starting point for many great initiatives, industry and school collaborations. A recent analytical laboratory teacher tour into industry champions BOC, Hastings Deering and Boral Asphalt, is no exception.
Kelvin Grove State College is GISP’s Gateway Hub for Engineering. STEAM students are encouraged to explore manufacturing and engineering career opportunities through an Analytics Laboratories or sampling and measurement pathways. Analytical labs are used by industry to test materials for total quality assurance. While companies have in-house analytical labs, they need the talent to fill job vacancies, are require educated, employable-ready students.
The unique ‘behind the scenes’ tour gave teachers the opportunity to experience first hand the connections between sampling and measurement, science, technology, engineering and math (STEAM) and advanced manufacturing. It opened the door for teachers to ask industry experts (including chemical engineers) questions and see first-hand what it would be like to work in an analytical lab, as part of a manufacturing organisation.
Following the Analytical Labs Gateway Tour, STEAM teacher resources were created to assist contextualise student learning. Comprising of a group of chemistry and science teachers from schools across south-east Queensland, their purpose is to collaborate to produce industry standard teacher resources.
BOC chemical engineer Robert Sovar, met teachers at the Gateway Hub for Vehicle Manufacturing at Glenala State High School following the tour. Through the Gateway, the collaboration led to the development of a Gas Guide for year 11 students as part of the overall student Chemistry syllabus. Resources include the specifications of different gas compositions to include in student learning.
Gateway Days show that STEAM education has an important role in advanced manufacturing. Drawing these intercepts will not only increase the profile of manufacturing, it also gives students and teachers world of work learnings, direct from industry.
If you are a Gateway School, go to the GISP Advanced Manufacturing resources hub page to download your copy of the Gas Guide.
