National Capital District schools take part in career discussions

By ESTHER KAUGA
MORE than 400 students from 17 Port Moresby schools took part in the Toktok Bilong Strongim Nesen discussion which was themed ‘Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths – What Does Your Future Hold?’
The event was hosted at the University of Papua New Guinea and supported by the PNG-Australia Partnership.
Its aim was to inform high school students of the different careers and opportunities that were available in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).
The panel included Roberta Morlin, head of digital strategy at Bank South Pacific, Dr Hilda Audubo, a dentist with the Milne Bay health authority, Stefan Sowei, a geologist at Oil Search, and Pantaval Ove, Port Moresby National High School’s head girl and participant in the PNG-Australia Secondary Schools initiative.
Student representatives from the 17 schools got to ask questions regarding Stem and its implication for the future of PNG and the panellists each answered their questions, providing a well of information from their background and experience in the Stem field.
Morlin encouraged the students to assess their interests in life and make the right choice for their future, even if it meant changing career paths.
“If science is what wakes you up in the morning and keeps your ‘idea muscle’ exercised, but you are in a different field – make a move,” she said. The programme also included the participation of physically impaired students as well, with the Red Cross School for the Deaf and Cheshire Disability Services in attendance.