School leads hunt for tomorrow's entrepreneurs

Indooroopilly State High School is leading a consortium of industry, government and education organisations and individuals aiming to nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs.

As the workforce continues to be transformed by globalisation and demographic shifts, the need has never been greater to equip students with the skills they need to take on the future with confidence. To do this, there is a significant incentive for a community of industry, government and educational organisations and individuals to share, support and inspire our future wealth creators.

In a Queensland first, the gen[in] (or generation innovation) program will give international and domestic students aged 14-21 this exact opportunity, by giving them access to a community of Queensland’s best professional and academic minds, all ready to combine and share their entrepreneurial knowledge.

The project is one of 21 to receive funding from Trade and Investment Queensland’s new $6 million International Education and Training (IET) Partnership Fund Pilot Round, and is being driven by the Queensland Student Innovation and Entrepreneur Alliance (QSIEA).

The QSIEA represents strong collaboration between industry, government and the domestic and international education sector, combining their knowledge to nurture the next generation of global innovators.

Now gen[in] wants to enhance its community further by seeking the inclusion of Queensland teachers.

Teachers who become part of the gen[in] community will gain access to resources that have been developed by gen[in]’s large and diverse consortium. These resources form part of gen[in]’s Entrepreneurial Resource Bank and give teachers across Queensland the opportunity to apply them in their own classrooms to allow students to find innovative solutions for their communities.

Students who participate in the gen[in] program will be taken on an innovation journey that will share skills and knowledge to build their entrepreneurial mindset. The program places emphasis on global connectedness to encourage domestic and international students to form diverse teams and learn how to work and innovate together. By collaborating and developing their entrepreneurial mindset, students will increase their confidence, resilience and creativity. Having these skills will allow Queensland students to thrive in many aspects of their life, including the classroom.

As well as Indooroopilly State High School, the consortium includes Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, the University of Queensland, the Department of Education and Training International, Independent Schools Queensland, Little Tokyo Two, Car Advice Pty Ltd, Holden Capital, and Sarina Russo Group. Over three years of funding, the QSIEA aims to bring together and help young people navigate the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and promote Queensland’s international education and training (IET) industry.
If you’re a teacher who wants to be a part of developing the next generation of Queensland’s wealth creators, please contact gen[in]’s project manager Megan Short on 0459 866 960 or mshor75@eq.edu.au. Student registrations for gen[in] will commence shortly.

For more information visit gen[in] on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GenerationInnovate/), Instagram (@gen_in), Twitter (@gen_in_), or LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/gen-in).

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 122 No 6, 25 August 2017, p16