- Expressions of interest now open for 2024 Minister's Innovation Challenge
- The challenge aims to prepare young people to lead and innovate in a changing world
- Up to 40 teams of year 8 students will use design thinking to develop innovative solutions to local issues or problems, supported by their school and a local industry mentor
Year 8 students in Western Australia will once again be given the opportunity to explore their leadership, design and critical thinking skills as part of the 2024 Minister's Innovation Challenge.
Education Minister Dr Tony Buti visited Belridge Secondary College today, encouraging schools to submit expressions of interest for the 2024 Challenge.
The Innovation Challenge forms part of the Career Learning Toolkit developed to address the critical need for career learning for secondary school students.
Established for year 8 students, the Challenge is the first step in an ongoing immersive journey of design thinking and innovation learning for WA public school students, supported by their school and a local industry mentor.
Since it began in 2022, the Challenge has grown each year to keep up with increased interest from schools and students.
Up to 40 teams of students will be selected to take part in the challenge this year.
The Challenge will run for five weeks in Term 4 of 2024, with expressions of interest from schools sought from June 2024.
Last year's first place winners from Bob Hawke College created an app-based solution to relieve heavy traffic and congestion at a local netball centre.
Comments attributed to Education Minister Dr Tony Buti:
"The Innovation Challenge is a great opportunity for year 8 students to work together to come up with solutions to real-world issues.
"Through participating in the challenge, students explore and build on important skills such as creativity, critical thinking and the ability to collaborate with others.
"These are all skills that are highly valued in the workforce and will be beneficial to students as they continue their studies and enter employment."
