Development Hub Programs

Our Development Hub is a centre for innovation, design and development.

It enables us to work beyond our core programs, collaborating with our member companies and schools to pilot new programs and concepts. In this way, our program curriculum is responding to the greatest needs of the changing world of work to maximise impact.

Here is a snapshot of some of our recent collaborations.

Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

ABCN is looking to deepen its engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. We partner with the Aurora Education Foundation to support their Aspiration Initiative, which provides intensive educational and related support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students. Additionally, in 2019 we supported our member company Microsoft in the delivery of their Indigenous work experience program.

Full STEAM Ahead

Full STEAM Ahead is a collaboration with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences to engage Year 7 and 8 students with STEAM-based activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). Students participated in technology showcases, coding and game design workshops plus a Hackathon. There were digital components that allowed students to access program content and mentors online. The program was augmented by educator professional development opportunities.

STEMpreneur

ABCN and the NBN Co developed the STEMpreneur primary school program to highlight the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) combined with nurturing the development of an entrepreneurial mindset. The program equips Year 5 and 6 students with STEM skills such as creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking. Student teams are challenged to develop an innovative solution to a community problem.

All SySTEMS Go!

All SySTEMS Go! is a STEM careers exposure and workplace immersion program for Year 10 girls, developed in partnership with Westpac. The program involves four days of work experience and is a unique hands-on experience which aims to bridge the gap between school-based learning and what is happening right now in the business world.

InRoads

This employability initiative was developed and delivered with the support of the J.P. Morgan Foundation. The program was run in partnership with TalentRISE, a non-profit recruitment agency. It involved a series of employability skills workshops followed by the ongoing support and coaching of students to apply for jobs and gain employment. Over a two-year period, 91 job placements were achieved through the InRoads program.

GoITGirls: Zara’s story

ABCN supports a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) work experience program aimed at female students in Years 10 and 11.

In 2017, during her final year at Sefton High School, Zara participated in a joint TCS/Westpac GoITGirls program. ‘It definitely changed my life,’ she says. ‘It’s given me amazing opportunities to work at incredible companies, build connections with great people and learn so many new things. I always look back on that program and reflect how far I’ve come just from that one-week work experience.’

Watch as Zara tells us more about her story below.