To celebrate their participation in the recent STEM Advanced Manufacturing Future Skills School Program, primary and secondary students from Moreton Bay, Toowoomba/Darling Downs region and the Gold Coast in Queensland came together last week for a series of local showcase events.Â
The STEM Advanced Manufacturing Future Skills School Program was delivered over terms 3-4, 2024 by Makers Empire, in partnership with Queensland Manufacturing Hubs and the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development. The program was designed to increase awareness of the role manufacturing plays in our daily lives, the depth and breadth of local industry, and create awareness of career opportunities and pathways in the manufacturing industry, and an understanding of the skills and experiences required.
The participating Queensland schools received a package worth approximately $7,500 including: the participation of regional teachers in the accredited Makers Empire Learning By Design program with guest speakers from the advanced manufacturing industry, site visit to local manufacturers; a 3-years Makers Empire School Subscription; an advanced manufacturing-themed challenge course including some of the exciting projects and jobs in the Queensland advanced manufacturing industry; supply of a Flashforge 3D printer and PLA filament to participating schools; and hospitality for teacher Professional Development and student showcase days.Â
At the recent showcases held in each region, students shared what they had learned about advanced manufacturing and local manufacturing companies and their possible solutions to manufacturing industry challenges that they worked on with industry partners.Â
Students took turns both presenting their designed solutions and then visiting other booths and learning about other students’ projects. They could also vote on their favourite booths for the Peer Award prize. Students also presented their solutions to invited industry guests who were assessing all the students’ work for the Industry Award Prize.
Toowoomba Schools at St Ursula's College
The schools participating in the Towoomba/Darling Downs region were St Ursula’s College Toowoomba, Chinchilla State High School, Warwick State High School, St Mary’s College Toowoomba, Chinchilla Christian College, Dalby South State School, Vale View State School, Meringandan State School, Tara Shire College, Centenary Heights State High School, Chinchilla State School and Brigalow State School.Â
Many thanks our industry judges: Michele Berkhout from TAFE Queensland South West; Professor Matt Richardson from iLAuNCH Trailblazer Associate; Louise McMahon from MFE; Linda Sexton and Martin Leggat from New Hope Group; and Mick Tighe from 4×4 Outdoor Group.
 anJunior Secondary School Winners:
- Industry Award Winner: St Mary’s College. This team designed sturdy and weather proof hand sanitiser holders for their partner school St Ursula’s CollegeJunior Secondary
- Industry Award Runner Up: Chinchilla State High School Team 5. Students worked with their industry partner MFEÂ Â to design more accurate ways for identifying the centre point of materials to be cut with lathes.
- Peer Prize Winner: St Mary’s College and St Ursula’s College Team 1 (a combined team from the 2 schools). Their solution addressed the issue of contamination and passing on diseases between humans and cattle on local farms.
Primary School Winners:
- Industry Award Winner: Vale View State School. Students worked with their industry partner to design air quality sensors to improve the safety of industry workers.
- Industry Award Runner Up: Dalby South State School. The students worked with their industry partner Finch Engineering to design a more effective bracket system for farming equipment.Â
- Peer Prize Winner: Chinchilla Christian College. The students designed protective fencing to protect the plants in the school’s garden from being trampled.
Many thanks to Russell Minerals Equipment for hosting an industry site visit as part of the professional development days and to The Chronicle and the ABC Radio for covering the event.Â
Gold Coast Schools at Hillcrest Christian College
The Gold Coast schools participating were The Southport School, Josiah College, St Vincent’s Primary School, Guardian Angels Primary School, Hillcrest Christian College, Tamborine Mountain State High School, Keebra Park State High School, Helensvale State High School, Silkwood School, Marymount College, Beenleigh State High School, Trinity Lutheran College, Coombabah State High School, Queensland Academy for Health Sciences, and Foxwell State Secondary College.Â
Many thanks to our industry judges: Paul Meyer from Triple M Tray Bodies; Kaleena De Voigt from Marine Airflow; Matt Gray from Mayneline; James McGrath from RDM Group; Duncan Robbie from Metal Sign & Label Pty Ltd; Georgi Tomlinson from Manufacturing Skills Queensland; David Thompson from the Queensland Department of Education;  Tom Triandafyllou from the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development.   Â
 Primary School Winners:
- Industry Award, Winner: Team 3 Guardian Angels Primary School. Students developed a energy generation system using solar power and hydro-power to create a turbine connected to the gutters and downpipes.
- Industry Award, Runner Up: St Vincent’s Primary School. Students developed a latch to prevent ibises taking rubbish out of bins
- Peer Prize Winner: Team 2 Hlicrest Christian College. Students designed a drone to deliver supplies and make repairs after a natural disasterÂ
Junior Secondary School Winners
- Industry Award Winner:Â Tamborine Mountain State High School. Students worked with an industry partner in the fire safety business to redesign the keys in the fire box to prevent breakages.
- Industry Award, Runner Up: Team 1 Coombabah State High School. Students worked with their industry partner, Neumann Contractors and developed an improvement to their current dredge head design. and presented a business and budget plan for their new product.
- Peer Prize Winner: Team 3 Marymount College. Students developed a crushing system to better manage the sustainable processing and recycling of rubbish.
Senior Secondary School Winners:
- Industry Award Winner: Elise, Marymount College. Students created a system for moving solar panels to attract more sun.
- Â Industry Award Runner Up: Foxwell State Secondary College. Students developed a hose management system to help their industry partner improve their organisation processes
- Peer Prize Winner:Â Team 1 Trinity Lutheran College. Students designed sustainable eco-friendly jewellery to hep combat the impact of mass-produced fashion.
Many thanks to AMEC for hosting an industry site visit as part of the professional development days.Â
Moreton Bay Schools at Morayfield Event Centre
The secondary schools in Moreton Bay participating were Narangba Valley State High School, Mt Maria College Petrie, Bray Park State High School, Murrumba State Secondary College, Mango Hill State Secondary College, Dakabin State High School, Bribie Island State High School, Caboolture State High School, and Albany Creek State High School.
Many thanks to our industry judges: James Brycker from Bosscap Group; Greg Smyth from TPS; Frank Faller from Elexon Electronics; James Windsor from Fibre King; Andrew Holmes from Custom Lithium; and Gil Harkness from the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development.
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Junior Secondary School Winners:
Industry Award Winner: Team 3 – Bray Park State High School. Students created sustainable, reusable and recyclable whiteboard markers and stationery supplies
Industry Award Winner: Narangba Valley State High School.Â
Peer Prize Winner: Team 2 Bribie Island State High School. Students designed a system for keeping drinks safe and preventing drink spiking
Senior Secondary School Winners:
- Industry Award Winner: Team 2 Murrumba State Secondary College. Students developed a product to help people who are frightened about having injections and blood tests. The Medibotic Autonomous Needles system applies a numbing agent and then a vibration sensation to distract the patient from the needle.
- Industry Award Runner Up:Â Team 2 Dakabin State High School. Students designed the Pocket Pad. An innovative, customised education product to meet students’ education needs and manage phone use.
- Industry Award Runner Up:Â Team 1 Mango Hill State High School. Students developed a universal child proof cover for cleaning products and other chemicals to prevent accidental poisoning and chemical burns
- Peer Prize Winner: Team 2 Dakabin State High School. Students designed the Pocket Pad. An innovative, customised education product to meet students’ education needs and manage phone use.
Many thanks to Elexon Electronics for hosting an industry site visit as part of the professional development days.Â
