ACS Gateway to Industry Schools Program – update – shining a light on tech career pathways in Queensland

^Highlights

• Hear the latest on the program outreach and outcomes for the ACS Gateway to Industry Schools Program, shining a light on tech career pathways in Queensland. Keen to get involved too?

Term Two, 2022 was a busy period for the ACS ICT Gateway to Industry Schools project. The Queensland Government, through the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, funds the ICT GISP for deliver the five Ps:

·       Partnerships with industry.

·       Participation of students learning new skills and attending presentations.

·       Pathways awareness for study and careers.

·       Professional Development for teachers of Digital Technologies, STEM and Entrepreneurship.

·       Promotion of activities to the Queensland public and Australia.

We have forged new partnerships through a myriad of initiatives in Term Two. Highlights include:

·       Tech double-unicorn Go1 providing five presenters for the Girls in ICT Day at Canterbury College

·       Professionals from global mobile device game studio Gameloft speaking directly to Cert III IT students creating games with Unity and C#

·       University of Queensland Cyber Hub hosting a student excursion for 21 Nudgee College students

·       The Qld XR Hub collaborating on an XR teacher PD for Catholic careers advisors

·       VideoPro supporting the BiG Days In with exhibitor tables and working on a new work experience program

·       The City of Gold Coast, NNN Co, IoT and Substation33 working together to deliver two IoT Smart Buoys to monitor the health of the Hillcrest Christian College school pond.

Participation levels have been good in a year where schools are still disrupted by Covid implications, teachers leaving the profession and the influenza season. Through our partnerships with Zenva Academy (ZENVA Schools) and Micromelon, we have also been able to provide online learning and robot simulator that can occur within the curriculum rather than an add-on.

Other large events include three schools running ‘Girls in ICT Day’ events (and one boy’s equivalent) and whole year level assemblies, careers days and incursions for student skills training.

Student outreach and attendance included:

·       Big Day In (BDI) UQ - 402 students

·       BDI UQ Livestream - 365 students

·       BDI Sunshine Coast - 207 students

·       Zenva Schools online training - 488 students                                              

·       Micromelon Robotics Training - 276 students

·       Student Training and Excursions - 378 students

·       Girls in ICT Events - 450 students

·       Careers Interactions - 371 students

·       Jobs in the Metaverse Careers event - 61 attendees

Term Three has a number of new and innovative events planned in regional places and in the south east corner, including excursions, work experience and tech careers events and workshops.

If your company can contribute to the ICT GISP by hosting work experience and traineeships or excursions, please contact Matthew Jorgensen (matthew.jorgensen@acs.org.au