Edtech HEX teams up with Toyota to give 1000 regional women STEM career training for free

Jeanette Cheah”s edtech startup HEX has forged a partnership with the Toyota Community Trust to launch Highway to STEM, a free program that demystifies STEM career pathways for female and non-binary students from regional schools.

The project will offer free STEM career training to 1000 students across Australia.

HEX founder and CEO Jeanette Cheah said the program is looking to tackle regional Australia’s lower representation in STEM careers, building on the startup’s mission to empower women in technology.

“We need to break the stigma that STEM careers involve just sitting behind a laptop in a hoodie,” she said.

“From our work with thousands of youth around the world, we know we get cut through when we help a student connect a genuine passion to STEM skills. Our alumni have learned digital marketing skills to launch a music brands, laser-printing skills to reduce microplastics in fruit labels, and game design skills to battle loneliness at school.”

Cheah said educating teenage girls is one of the most effective ways to change the world.

“We’ve seen it firsthand – when you give young women the right tools, mentorship, and opportunities, they don’t just participate in STEM – they revolutionise it,” she said.

“58% of HEX Alumni are women or non-binary, and I have a personal passion for improving gender representation in STEM and startups. Women still comprise just 15% of the STEM workforce, which is a huge waste of talent potential, especially as Australia continues to face tech skills gaps.”

The program kicks off next month, with the online version of Highway to STEM, running from February to April, and the in-person version from March to April. The winter workshops will run from July to September.

Cheah said that with 75% of future jobs requiring STEM skills,  regional students need immediate access to cutting-edge education to ensure they’re not left behind in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

“Australian talent is located all around the country, not just in metro centres, so we’re thrilled that Toyota sees the importance of empowering youth in regional areas,” she said.

“Innovation thrives when we have diversity of ideas and lived experience.”