Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) and technology partner Amadeus have joined forces to deliver the ‘Come Fly with Me’ program that supports young women in Western Sydney to consider future careers in STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the full-day program at Amadeus’ lab in Sydney was an excellent opportunity to give young people interesting insights into the depth and breadth of career opportunities enabled through STEM that will be critical to the industries of tomorrow.
“Western Sydney International has created thousands of jobs during construction and it will continue to be a jobs creator and catalyst for investment for decades to come, and that’s the key for students coming through high school today who are beginning to consider tertiary studies and career opportunities,” he said.
“Hands-on workshops like this give students real insights into the type of education and skills required to work in industries like aviation, but also smart manufacturing, science, and technology, which can have many applications that will grow exponentially over the course of these young people’s professional lives.
“We’ll continue to engage local high schools through initiatives like this, and we’re working with training institutions like TAFE NSW and Western Sydney University to map the job opportunities required and see how we can best ensure people are getting trained with the right skills for the right jobs at the right time.”
‘Come Fly with Me’ was delivered on Monday 30 June 2025 and saw 35 students in years 10 and 11 from high schools in south-west Sydney complete a number of workshops and exercises to raise awareness about different elements of STEM in the professional environment.
The students learned about 3D printing and robotics as well as technology applications in the aviation industry and examples of ‘lean manufacturing’ – throughout which they benefited from demonstrations led by Amadeus lab members. Students were also given brainstorming and problem-solving exercises to apply the knowledge they’d gained in the workshops to real-world problems.
Michelle Wilson, Head of Site Pacific at Amadeus – WSI’s strategic airport systems technology partner that’s helped to co-create the digital customer experience at Sydney’s new 24-hour airport – said the team was delighted to welcome the students to their labs.
“It was great to share our excitement about making the experience of travel better for everyone, everywhere,” she said. “Empowering young women to pursue careers in technology is an important step for driving innovation and building a more inclusive travel industry."
WSI is on track to open for domestic, international and air cargo services in late 2026.
Editor’s Note: Still images from the program are available for download here.
