Innovation workshops focus on our youth

Future skills and educating our youth are the focus of an Advance Queensland Advancing Regional Innovation Program (ARIP) workshops in St George and Dirranbandi.

The workshops will be held at the Anglican Parish Hall, Roe St, St George, on Wednesday 14 November. Parents and educators are invited to attend a free workshop from 5pm-6pm and businesses are invited to attend from 6pm-7.30pm at a cost of $17.37 (nibbles will be provided).

There are also workshops being held in Dirranbandi on Thursday, 15 November. A free parents and educators forum will be held at the Dirranbandi P-10 State School from 3pm-4pm. An Innovation in Business Workshop will be held at Dirranbandi Hotel from 5.30pm-7.30pm. Entry is $10 (Nibbles will be provided).

To register for these workshops go to www.eventbrite.com.au and search for St George and Dirranbandi.

ARIP Steering Committee member and Deputy Mayor Fiona Gaske said the workshop were an important tool to educating future innovators.

“Council is very pleased to be involved in this program which is focusing on our young people,” she said.

“The aim of these workshops is to help our youth build their skills for the future and learn what their working future could be.

“ARIP is working closely with junior schools in our region to ensure our children are learning appropriate skills to help them in the future.

“I strongly encourage parents, educators and businesses to attend next week’s workshop. In the first workshop there will be tips for parents and educators on how to deal with cyberbullying and the second workshop will be a networking session for businesses.”

2017 Queensland Young Australian of the Year, Taj Pabari and the Fiftysix Creations Classroom Coach Squad will visit schools in St George, Dirranbandi and Bollon as part of the Regional Ideas to Action Darling Downs and Maranoa project, managed by Toowoomba Surat Basin Enterprise and an Advance Queensland supported project. 

Taj and the Fiftysix Creations Classroom Coach Squad will run workshops teaching school students, community groups, parents and teachers and the broader business community about the importance of creativity and entrepreneurial skills in the workforce of the future.

Taj, who is the 18-year-old founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fiftysix Creations, said: “Our goal is to give every young person regardless of their age, gender or postcode the opportunity to have access to a world class entrepreneurial education.”

The Fiftysix Creations Ideation Workshop provides young people with the skills and the resources that they need to thrive in an innovation economy. Workshop activities will include idea generation, design thinking, introduction to business, communication and public speaking, and modern day technology (tablet computers, drones, holograms and artificial intelligence)

In St George and Dirranbandi, Ecobiz auditor Andrew Chamberlin will also join the team at the business events.

For more information contact Julia Telford on 0427 408 713 or  [email protected]

Published: 9 November 2018