Partners

Situated in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, Austeng is an industry leader in engineered solutions, particularly relating to import replacement and is currently further developing its export potential.

Austeng are represented on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee through Ross George who is the current chair.

Austeng are industry partners in:

• Future Bricks

Ross George co-developed this program with Geelong Tech School staff and partner school teachers. His involvement included collaborating in the content, informing facilitators and providing resources.

Barwon Water is Victoria’s largest urban water corporation. It has supplied water, sewerage, and recycled water services to Geelong and the region for more than 110 years.

Their representation includes being on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee and also as industry partners in the following programs:

• Backed up to the Future

Michael Thomas and Fernando Garcia from Barwon Water co-developed these programs with Geelong Tech School staff and partner school teachers. Their involvement included collaborating in the content, informing facilitators and providing resources.

Barwon Water is working with the Tech school to develop a ‘future water challenge’ that will be open to students in the region in 2023.

Ford Motor Company opened its plant in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925. The company designs, engineers, and imports award-winning and best-selling cars, SUVs and trucks. Australia is a key product development hub for Ford with more than $500 million expected to be invested in their Australian operations in 2022.

Ford is represented on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee and are industry partners in:

• The Last Mile

David Erjavic from Ford co-developed this program with Geelong Tech School staff and partner school teachers. His involvement included collaborating in the content, informing facilitators and providing resources.

Matthew Young is currently collaborating with Tech school staff to develop an engineering program within the Design to Thrive model.

Located in the heart of Melbourne’s Fed Square, ACMI (formerly Australian Centre for the Moving Image) celebrates the wonder and power of the world’s most democratic artform – fostering the next generation of makers, players, and watchers. ACMI is a museum of screen culture. Navigating the universe of film, TV, videogames, and art.

ACMI are industry partners in:

• Virtual X
• Real life Animated

Christine Evely and Vincent Trundle from ACMI co-developed these programs with Geelong Tech School staff and partner school teachers. Their involvement included collaborating in the content, informing facilitators, and providing resources.

Geelong council is elected to provide leadership and good governance for the municipality and the local community. The City of Greater Geelong (COGG) provides services to the community and implements the strategic plan.

COGG are represented on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee and are industry partners in:

• Urban Bee-ology

The City of Greater Geelong partners in the ‘Urban Bee-ology’ by allowing the Geelong Tech School to utilise the smart cities data platform, inform facilitators, and provide resources.

Boomaroo Nurseries is renowned for its premium-quality commercial seedlings, wholesale ornamental plants, customer service, and innovative approach to horticultural production.

With facilities in both Lara, Victoria, and Southbrook, Queensland, Boomaroo supplies fresh produce growers and green life retailers in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania.

As part of Geelong Design Week 2022, Boomaroo Nurseries provided an industry challenge and resources for the Geelong Tech School design sprint event.

Nick Jacometti is currently collaborating with Geelong Tech School staff to develop an agricultural program within the Design to Thrive model.

Cobram Estate Olives is Australia’s largest producer and marketer of premium quality extra virgin olive oil.  With operations in Australia and the USA, export customers in 16 countries, and a portfolio of premium brands, they are a market leader in the Australian extra virgin olive oil industry and a leader in sustainable olive farming.

Founded in 1998 by Paul Riordan and Rob McGavin, Cobram Estate Olives owns Australia’s two top-selling homegrown olive oil brands, Cobram Estate® and Red Island®.  The company is Australia’s largest vertically integrated olive oil producer.

As part of Geelong Design Week 2022, Cobram Estate provided an industry challenge and resources for the Geelong Tech School design sprint event

Bernie Sullivan is currently collaborating with Geelong Tech School staff to develop an agricultural program within the Design to Thrive model.

STRUT is an ag-tech company that empowers Aussie farmers to grow more, with less.

Australian growers are facing increasingly extreme and unpredictable weather conditions, expensive resources, and consumer demand for sustainable practices. Strut have spent the last three years developing and testing the next generation of on-farm sensors. Wireless sensors provide valuable data on the environmental conditions of their customer’s properties to help focus decision making on the use of resources.

Rhys Bischof is currently collaborating with Geelong Tech School staff to develop an agricultural program within the Design to Thrive model.

Common Ground Project is a not-for-profit community farm that promotes food security by creating fair access to locally grown, healthy food.

Common Ground Project exists to empower agency and advocacy by offering an inclusive space for growing, cooking, knowledge sharing, and ongoing community collaboration. Grounded in regenerative farming, and in recognition of the urgent need for a more resilient food system, we believe that connection to land, food and community can drive real, meaningful social change.

Felicity Jacob and Clarence Smith are currently collaborating with Geelong Tech School staff to develop an agricultural program within the Design to Thrive model.

GenU’s vision is to build inclusive communities. Their mission is to create and deliver innovative services and support that empowers people to reach their full potential. They do this by running disability support services, aged care support, NDIS coordination, and business and community programs.

As part of Geelong Design Week 2022, GenU provided an industry challenge and resources for the Geelong Tech School design sprint event.

In the future there are plans to collaborate with GenU to develop an assistive technologies program within the Design to Thrive model.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is an independent statutory agency. Our role is to implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which will support a better life for hundreds of thousands of Australians with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers.

NDIA is represented on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee

In the future there are plans to collaborate with NDIA to develop an assistive technologies program within the Design to Thrive model.

Field Ready meets humanitarian and reconstruction aid needs by transforming logistics through technology, design and engaging people in new ways. Their mission is to save lives, reduce suffering and increase resilience by transforming the way that needs are met in disaster relief and recovery by providing assistance through technology, innovative design and engaging people in new ways.

Field Ready are industry partners in:

• Design for Humanity

Field Ready partnered in the ‘Design for Humanity’ program by collaborating in the content, informing facilitators and providing resources.

AWI is a not-for-profit enterprise that conducts research, development and marketing along the worldwide supply chain for Australian wool on behalf of woolgrowers. Their mission is to make strategically targeted investments to enhance the profitability, international competitiveness and sustainability of the Australian wool industry.

AWI are industry partners in:

•  Future Fashion

AWI partnered to develop the ‘Future Fashion’ program by collaborating in the content, informing facilitators, and providing resources. Ashley Hollis and Kieran Robison from AWI are co-developing this program with Geelong Tech School staff.

Life Saving Victoria (est. 2002) is an initiative of the Royal Life Saving Society Australia Victoria Branch and Surf Life Saving Victoria. We employ more than 500 staff and our lifesaving clubs have more than 37,000 members. Together, we work with communities, educational institutions, government agencies, businesses and the broader aquatic industry.

LSV are industry partners in:

• Coasting Drones

Jess Acocks and Melissa Laird from Life Saving Victoria co-developed this program with Geelong Tech School staff by collaborating in the content, informing facilitators, and providing resources.

Skilling the Bay was established by the Victorian State Government in 2011 to investigate and deliver educational initiatives to address the economic and industry changes occurring in Geelong. It is led by The Gordon and delivered in partnership with Deakin University and the Victorian State Government to develop and deliver local solutions to regional challenges.

Skilling the Bay support building STEM capability in our region. They support and collaborate with Tech School staff on a number of STEM initiatives.

Crazy Ideas College believes in young people as designers, inventors, and social innovators. As we unleash those skills, we connect young people to resources, networks, and opportunities so that they can develop initiatives that remake the world.

CIC partner by facilitating their ‘Social Innovators’ program onsite at the Geelong Tech School. CIC have also supported regional camps and other initiatives thorough facilitating content to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

Deakin is a leading university enabling globally connected education for the jobs of the future and research that makes a difference. We have a student-focused culture with a reputation for being accessible and friendly.

Deakin is represented on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee.

In 2021 the Geelong Tech School and Deakin worked together to present  The Deakin STEM Education Conference 2021

The Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network (GRLLEN) was established in 2001 and is an incorporated not-for-profit entity operating across the Local Government Areas of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast, Queenscliff and Golden Plains (Southern) Shires.

Wayne Elliot, Chief Executive Officer, represents GRLLEN on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee and is collaborating on several pathway opportunities for students.

The Geelong Manufacturing Council is a non-political not-for-profit organisation funded by industry partners who wish to promote the region as a dynamic and innovative manufacturing centre of the future.

GMC is represented on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee through Ross George.

Geelong Future Leaders of Industry GFLOI and Girls Learning About Advanced manufacturing GLAAM programs access the Geelong Tech School programs.

WorkSafe Victoria is a global leader in OHS and workers’ compensation and plays a critical role in the lives of Victorian employers and workers. Workers are at the heart of our service. Our aim is to keep all workplaces healthy and safe, and to deliver high quality care and treatment when workers are injured.

WorkSafe is represented on the Geelong Tech School Advisory Committee and provides ongoing communication to help inform Geelong Tech School direction.

As part of Geelong Design Week 2022, WorkSafe provided an industry challenge and resources for the Geelong Tech School design sprint event

In the future there are plans to collaborate with WorkSafe to develop an assistive technologies program within the Design to Thrive model.

As Australia’s first (and only) City of Design, Geelong is a member of the UNESCO Creative City Network. The aim of the network is to make creativity an essential driver for sustainable urban renewal and development. The City of Design designation is about using creativity and innovation to build more sustainable, resilient and inclusive communities.

The Geelong Tech School is actively involved in the Geelong ‘UNESCO City of Design’ designation through membership on the working party.

Future plans include connecting with educational entities in other ‘cities of design’ worldwide. The aim is to understand different approaches to STEM and design education and ultimately connect teachers and students across countries.

Telstra is Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company, offering a full range of communications services and competing in all telecommunications markets.

Telstra are industry partners in:

• Urban Bee-ology

Loretta Willaton and Garry Austin from Telstra researched and provided the ability to keep our custom built STEM trailer connected to the rest of the world whilst on-the-go, via 5G enabled Telstra Nighthawk M2 modems.

The Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) is the control agency for natural disasters in Victoria. VICSES has a coordination role in facilitating the development of emergency plans for these hazards at state and regional tiers, by managing responses to these emergencies and helping communities to prepare through effective planning. VICSES also plays an important role in providing community education around safety and natural disasters.

Alex Suwitra at VICSES has supported special programs such as the Design Sprints at the Tech School.

Thornton Engineering provides design and fabrication of structural steel, pressure vessels, heat exchangers, plate and piling steel products for major projects Australia wide. Thornton work closely with project managers, engineering firms and direct clients operating in the oil and gas, power, petroleum, mining, infrastructure and construction industries.

David Thornton and Jason Demillo are valuable partners offering the Tech School students educational tours of the Thornton head office and fabrication facility on their 100,000 sqm site in Corio.