CASE STUDY
Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions
An industry showcase event, allowing students to network with business, investigate technology and explore future careers and pathways.
Partnership
The Victorian Manufacturing Showcase is an annual event, delivered as a partnership between the Victorian Government, the Victorian Industry Capability Network and local councils. The highly regarded Showcase provides opportunities for Victorian manufacturers to develop government and industry intel, network and celebrate success stories. The 2019 theme was Engage. Innovate. Create.
Within the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, there was some interest in testing whether secondary school students and teachers would find attending a corporate industry environment relevant and useful for career planning. The Department reached out to Monash Tech School for a solution that for the first time invited a select number of secondary school students to the exciting opportunities that the VMS offered. Students from Brentwood Secondary College, Wellington Secondary College and John Monash Science School, along with five careers teachers attended the event.
Program
Students participated in a professional forum which focused on the theme of Future Innovation. They heard from Martin Pakula, Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade as well as Senior Management representatives from PACCA, Nukon and Invetech. The Forum explored Industry 4.0 and digitalisation of the Advanced Manufacturing sector. Data Scientists were identified as one of the fastest growing skills shortage occupations, requiring immediate strategies to fulfil industry’s need for information management and cybersecurity expertise. Students also participated in the Q&A session and pitched thoughtful and challenging questions to a panel of senior industry stakeholders.
Students visited exhibitor stands and used their Monash Tech School designed industry passport to ask a series of strategic questions around future skills sets, emerging technologies and high value and emerging occupations. Monash Tech School designed the passport and 3D printed passport stamps, which included the VMS logo. Students discussed careers, technology and pathways with a number of highly successful businesses including Volgren, Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Black Stump and Nissan. Conversation was lively and organisers were impressed by the enthusiasm and tech expertise demonstrated by the students who attended the event.
Outcomes
Students, educators and exhibitors agreed that participating in the VMS created a unique opportunity for stakeholders to engage in professional, insightful, practical and meaningful conversations around skills and future pathways.
The VMS allowed students to network with industry, develop in-depth knowledge around future skills sets and jobs in a professional, corporate environment.
The VMS created an opportunity for careers teachers to connect with industry professionals, identify and chat about future pathways and gain a practical understanding of the skills sets industry requires for now and the future.
The day allowed students to speak with representatives from the industries and get an idea and feel for what is happening, and careers in the industries, discovering what working in the field may be like.
