Inspiring the Next Gen with Tech Tours

Business Investment Officer - Yarra Ranges Council

A collaboration of Industry & Education to inspire young people into manufacturing

Yarra Ranges Council

Tech Schools encourage students to explore their interests, and discover how far their passions can take them in education and life.

The Tech Tours are a collaborative coordination of “Tech Tours & Tech Talks” within the South East Vic region (Bayswater Business Precinct initially) Designed specifically to broaden industry understanding for students (Year 8/9/10) regarding future career pathways within manufacturing and technology-based environments.

The aim is to assist in bridging the gap between education, industry technology and industry application through Yarra Ranges Tech School (YRTS). This makes natural sense to showcase various types of technologies utilized within industry and the link back to YRTS simulated learning projects. Also a great opportunity for all stakeholders to reinforce a dedicated approach in relation to Corporate Social Responsibility. The collaboration is actively contributing towards future proofing industry and manufacturing.

We have 4 tech tours coming up with a variety of Yarra Ranges Schools and a tech talk event for parents and students later in the year. Stay tuned for a new promotional video to be released by Yarra Ranges Council soon.

“We are very proud to be working with Yarra Ranges Council; Outer Eastern Local Learning and Employment Network (OELLEN); South East Melbourne Manufactures Alliance (SEMMA), Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute (AMTIL) Mobile Automation, ANCA, and Cummins on the Tech Tours. These tours complement the learning programs offered by Yarra Ranges Tech School where students are presented with real-world challenges and in teams use a human centered design thinking process to develop solutions using leading-edge technologies. Through the tours students get to see and hear first-hand how the skills and processes they are learning are applied and used in the real-world complementing the skills and experiences they receive at the Tech School”

Ashley Van Krieken, Director, Yarra Ranges Tech School

Our Tech Tour Success

The “Tech Tour” is a program coordinated to bridge the gap for students learning about technology, industry and manufacturing in a simulated environment to an actual working environment.  This tour will assist in providing understanding around how some of the technologies utilised within the project briefs are applied within a manufacturing or industrial environment.

The tour provides students an opportunity to not only see how manufacturing takes place locally, but also gain an understanding of the unique roles that support the environments.  A great opportunity to be inspired to consider industry and manufacturing as future career paths that help grow and keep manufacturing/ industry in Australia.

This collaborative effort of coordinating the tour is bringing together education, local government, youth employment network, industry and industry associations: BHIG’s Yarra Ranges Tech School, Yarra Ranges Council, OELLEN, ANCA CNC, Cummins Filtration and Mobile Automation, SEMMA and Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute (AMTIL).

To date there have been two Tech Tours, which have both been successful! The participating schools have been Lilydale High School and Mater Christi College, where both schools have had year 9 students participate in the tour.

Business Investment Officer - Yarra Ranges Council