Major energy retailer Alinta and the Australian Academy of Technical Science and Engineering launched their partnership on Monday, revealing an extension to the STELR education program for schools in NSW and South Australia.
The announcement comes days after Women 4 STEM called for greater funding to encourage students to study science, technology engineering and maths in regional areas, amid fears artificial intelligence technology could disadvantage girls in particular.
Alinta will fund science kits for students at Melville High School near its Oven Mountain pumped hydro project in NSW, and at Gawler and District College in South Australia, near its Reeves Plains battery storage hub.
The schools were chosen for their proximity to renewable energy projects to foster curiosity about jobs in the growing future industry, Alinta chief executive Jeff Dimery said.
"It's about creating real connections between students, their communities and the future of energy," Mr Dimery said.
"By supporting schools near our future renewable energy sites, we're helping young people see themselves in the energy transition and giving them the tools to be part of it."
The energy firm will also provide in-person training for teachers, in addition to online resources and renewable energy kits that include mini solar panels and houses.
The STELR program, which began in 2008, has reached more than one million Australian students.
Teaching children science in a practical way would be vital to support the next generation of energy workers, academy chief executive Kylie Walker said.
"To effectively transition Australia's energy towards low-carbon and zero-carbon solutions, it's urgent that we educate and inspire school students and empower them to make the most of the careers of the future," she said.
"Supporting hands-on science, technology and engineering education in schools benefits students, teachers, society and the economy by building the skills, capability and motivations of the highly capable professionals who will deliver the energy projects of the future."
A federal Education Department study found 15-year-olds in remote areas of Australia were 1.5 years behind their urban peers in science studies on average, and performed significantly below the international average in mathematics.
Challenges identified by the research included limited access to resources and difficulty finding and retaining qualified science teachers.
