Casuarina Senior College students will soon have access to cutting edge science and technology facilities, with construction about to begin on a new STEM centre.
The CSC Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Centre will be the third to be built by the Territory Labor Government, to support growing worldwide demand for skills in these fields.
It follows the $15.9 million science centre opened last year at Darwin High School and the $12.7 million centre at Taminmin College.
Existing, unused classrooms will be repurposed as the new STEM centre, which will offer two new learning areas; a MAKER space for digital printing and laser cutting; a digital room; and a refurbished workshop to support student learning by providing interactive, engaging classrooms that make science and technology learning fun.
Berrimah company Maxcon (NT) Pty Ltd has been awarded the tender and construction is expected to begin soon.
The new STEM centre comes in addition to other recent investments in CSC, including a $940,000 library upgrade, and $200,000 for the installation of solar panels under the Territory Labor Government's Rooftop Solar in Schools program.
As stated by Minister for Education, Lauren Moss.
"Up to 75 per cent of the world's fastest growing professions are in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and the Territory Labor Government is investing to ensure NT students are well equipped for jobs in these fields.
"Our Government promised to invest in STEM in the Territory and we are delivering.
"Since coming to government, we have opened to $12.7 million STEAM Centre at Taminmin College, which has enabled the teaching of national award winning programs, and the $15.9 million STEAM Centre at Darwin High School.
"We have also released our five year STEM in the NT strategy to support students across the Territory to build stronger STEM skills.
"Now, students in Darwin's northern suburbs will also have access to state-of-the-art facilities, to foster the scientists and engineers of the future.
"Many school kids in my electorate of Casuarina attend CSC, so I am pleased our Government has been able to deliver significant investment in the school, including a recent $940,000 refurbishment of the library, which has created the school's contemporary new Resource Centre offering 28 new computers for students to access online resources and learning.
"Solar panels installed under our $5 million Rooftop Solar in Schools program will also save the school tens of thousands in electricity costs going forward that can be directed back into learning."
