WESTERN Australia’s “next big thing” could well come out of Applecross Senior High after the school signed on to take part in a new pilot program seeking to teach innovation and entrepreneurship to secondary students.
Launched this year, Innovation Institute is the brainchild of long-time teacher and Booragoon resident Paul Litwin.
Mr Litwin was a careers counsellor at Perth College until the end of 2016 when he decided to leave in favour of filling in what he views as a key omission in the current high school curriculum.
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READ NOW“Last year I did some work on a program called $20 Boss which was developed by the Foundation of Young Australians and introduces students to running their own business,” he said.
“During the program it really dawned on me that a lot of students were lacking in those sorts of skills – not just innovation but the ability to think outside of the box.”
Mr Litwin said the current WA economy was crying out for new ideas and diversification and that through Innovation Institute he hoped to help students take advantage of the opportunities on offer.
Four schools, including Applecross SHS, have signed up to a pilot program for Year 7 to 10 students that will run during terms two and three this year.
“Students that want to take part self-nominate and then we meet with them for between two and three hours once a week throughout the term,” Mr Litwin said.
“Every week we have a different theme, from business law to marketing, and we get in an industry or business professional who will spend half the session presenting on the topic.
“The second half of the sessions is practical, with students working together in groups to create their own original innovations that will be showcased to the public at an expo held at the end of term.”
Innovation Institute is currently looking for both industry and business partners willing to act as mentors and Applecross SHS keen to take part in the program next term.
For more information or to apply email Mr Litwin at plitwin@bigpond.com