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More than 80 Indigenous students in Years 9 to 12 will spend some of their school holidays at University instead of relaxing at home.

The University of Western Australia is the destination for a Year 9 Science and Engineering Camp, a Year 10 - 12 Health Carers Workshop and a Year 12 TEE Revision camp.

Designing a racing car, plastering broken arms and meeting Indigenous UWA graduates are some of the activities on offer for the students who attend secondary schools in Broome, Kununurra, Port Hedland, Karratha, Kalgoorlie, Albany, Newman, Geraldton, Bunbury and Perth.

Ray Garrett, Community Liaison Officer in UWA's School of Indigenous Studies, said UWA hoped to encourage Indigenous students to aspire to university entrance and to consider science and engineering-related careers.

"We also hope to increase the number of Indigenous professionals through the promotion of medicine and other health-related fields," Mr Garrett said.  "The students will stay on campus at UWA's Currie Hall Residential College.  UWA science and medicine students will help as supervisors and provide positive role models.

"We've been running these camps for about 15 years and we're seeing a growing number of Indigenous students graduating as engineers, scientists and doctors.  Our first Indigenous dental graduate, David Plichta, took part in a Health Careers Workshop when he was in Year 10."  He will be guest speaker this year.

The camps are part of UWA's Aspire and Follow the Dream Outreach programs which encourage students who would not normally consider university as an option to see the benefits and opportunities that university study offers.  The TEE Revision camp exposes Indigenous students to the university and residential college environment and provides an opportunity to meet like-minded Indigenous students.

The camps will be held from Monday 12 July to Thursday 15 July.

Media references

Ray Garrett (Community Liaison Officer,  (+61 8)  6488 4603  /  (+61 4 ) 17 933 098
UWA School of Indigenous Studies)
Brendon DeGois (Coordinator, Health Careers  (+61 8)  6488 3847  /  (+61 4) 14 371 179
Workshop, UWA, School of Indigenous Studies)
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716