Calling all students with an innovative, technological idea just waiting to be discovered: the 2018 Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards are now open!
Now in its 5th year, this year’s program includes an Ideation Workshop, as well as coaching from entrepreneurs and technical mentors. With secret investors attending the final pitch night, a host of terrific tech prizes and $5,000 cash for the winning school, the stage is set for the best Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards yet.
These awards give school kids the opportunity to develop an idea addressing a community problem or need, then present and sell that idea. Last year’s winning team from Merrimac High School came up with their idea after witnessing the limitations of one of their fellow students who was wheelchair bound with cerebral palsy. They wanted him to be able to enjoy the opportunity of playing video games like they did and from there they developed their prototype gaming controller. That prototype is already being used in the Mudgeeraba Special School.
Merrimac High’s Christopher Bouchaud had this to say about being part of the Awards: “You don’t have to be the best at working with technology, you can be good at standing in front of a group of people and pitching the idea, or you might be someone with really good practical understanding who can help make your idea more functional – it just builds really good teamwork.”
As part of this year’s program an Ideation Workshop is being run by Startup Apprentice, which is open to all Gold Coast high school students, whether they enter the Awards or not. Workshop facilitators Sam Winter and Sharon Hunneybell had this to say:
“In a world that is becoming more reliant on technology every day and where jobs are being lost to automation and lifelong careers in a single industry are no longer the norm, it is the dreamers, the thinkers, the designers and the creators that will have the greatest relevance to the future of work. Startup Apprentice have been working to inspire young Gold Coasters to embrace and follow their ideas and develop technology solutions for over 5 years. We are so proud to have been a founding partner and contributor to the Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards, showcasing the brightest and the best young minds and future business leaders in the region.”
The Ideation Workshop is open to all Gold Coast high school students, their parents and teachers and will be held at the Gold Coast Student Hub, 43 Nerang St, Southport on Wednesday 6th June from 4pm – 6pm.
The Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards are presented by Study Gold Coast, supported by Telstra, Bond University and Startup Apprentice. Entries close on Wednesday 20 June, 2018.