The future STEM workforce is growing up online: could gaming help solve Australia's STEM skills crisis?

As National Science Week gets underway, schools, families and educators across the country are celebrating the role science plays in shaping Australia's future. And never has it been more important to foster a love of STEM in our children, with new data revealing an alarming skills gap amongst Aussie kids.

As National Science Week gets underway, schools, families and educators across the country are celebrating the role science plays in shaping Australia's future. And never has it been more important to foster a love of STEM in our children, with new data revealing an alarming skills gap amongst Aussie kids.

Australia is expected to need 24% more bachelor-qualified STEM workers by 20351. But with only 37%2 of Year 10 students meeting the national ICT literacy proficient standard in 2025, there remains a gap2 between workforce demand and the practical digital skills many young people are developing today.

Australia is currently facing a critical inflection point in sustaining its STEM capability. But the good news is, outside of formal learning, children can engage with STEM topics in a range of less traditional ways, including video games. In fact, gaming could help close that skills gap, providing an accessible pathway into the kinds of skills that underpin STEM careers.

For young people with a budding curiosity about science and technology, interactive games have increasingly become an engaging way to learn and be inspired. On Roblox, parents, educators and students can discover online games teaching everything from computer science and engineering, through to environmental sustainability, space exploration, scientific problem-solving, and maths. Via these fun, hands-on experiences, young people are exploring coding, ecosystems, physics and scientific discovery in engaging ways that feel more like play, than education.

Dr. Adam Seldow, Senior Director of Education Partnerships at Roblox, says National Science Week provides a timely reminder that learning can happen in many ways, including in digital spaces where young people already spend time creating, exploring and solving problems.

"Many of the skills at the heart of science, asking questions, experimenting, solving problems, collaboration and learning from failure – are the same skills young people can develop through gaming. Whether they're learning how to code, designing solutions to challenges, or exploring virtual ecosystems, online games can help make STEM subjects feel more engaging, accessible and relevant to the next generation.”

National Science Week is a great time for parents and educators to explore how gaming can help stimulate an interest in STEM, and teach children important skills. Roblox’s online Learning Hub is a useful resource, which makes it easy to find fun educational video games across a wide range of learning areas.

For children under 16, Roblox also offers age-based accounts - Roblox Kids and Roblox Select. These new account types are designed to help ensure age-appropriate experiences for younger players, and give parents and carers greater control over how their kids engage on the platform.

Here are five games helping bring STEM subjects to life, and they are all available for free on Roblox:

Museum Tycoon - Be your own curator

You’ve visited museums, now you get to build one. Explore and shape your own robotics labs, fossil galleries, and immersive STEM environments filled with exhibits that spark curiosity and reward discovery. 

As players design their museum and unlock new exhibits, they’re introduced to scientific principles, engineering and robotics concepts, and the role technology plays in everyday life. 

STEM Focus: Science & Technology 

What kids can learn: 

• Scientific discovery 
• Engineering fundamentals
• Problem solving and resource management 
• How museums help science communication 

Studio Lite - DIY games for you and your friends!

A game creation platform within Roblox that lets players design, script, and publish their own experiences using a beginner-friendly, mobile-compatible interface. Players can learn coding and game design fundamentals, while exploring careers in software engineering and game development.

STEM focus: Technology

What kids can learn: 

• Basics of game development 
• Game scripting 
• Design fundamentals

Scripting School - Speak binary to me

Scripting School is a Roblox game designed to help people learn to code through interactive lessons, tests, and tutorials. It's designed to make it easy for people to become developers with four different languages.

STEM focus: Technology

What kids can learn: 

• Computer programming languages like Lua (Roblox), Python, JavaScript, and C++
• Skills applicable to careers in software or game development

Circuit Maker 2 - Circuitry extravaganza

An interactive circuit-design simulator that allows players to build and experiment with real-world electrical circuits, complete challenges, and learn how electronic components work together.

Explore electrical engineering, develop an understanding of circuitry and electronics, hone critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. 

STEM focus: Engineering

What kids can learn: 

• Coding fundamentals
• Digital design thinking 
• Project management and problem-solving skills 

Math Obby - Parkour with numbers

The original educational obstacle course which tests your math and parkour skills! Use the principles of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and equations to clear obstacle courses, progress through each level and reach the finish line. Who says maths can’t be fun?

STEM focus: Mathematics

What kids can learn: 

• Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and algebra 
• Pattern recognition
• Practical mathematics applications

1 Science & Technology Australia report (May 2026), based on Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections 2025–2035. 

2 ACARA, NAP–ICT Literacy 2025 Public Report (May 2026).