Future proof skills development
The Macquarie University Incubator and Young Wisdom have teamed up to offer a series of upskilling events and programs for high school students and teachers.
At the heart of Macquarie University and Young Wisdom's Secondary Schools Program lies a commitment to cultivating a trio of critical skills:
In a world where problems grow increasingly complex, the ability to think creatively stands as the cornerstone of innovation.
Our program doesn't just encourage students to think outside the box; it dismantles the box entirely. By fostering an environment where imagination meets pragmatism, we prepare our students to be the architects of the future.
Creative thinking isn't about providing the right answers; it's about daring to ask questions that challenge the status quo. This develops students confidence and skills in problem solving and developing new and innovative solutions.
In the pursuit of innovation and problem solving, failure is not just a possibility – it's a necessity.
Our program emphasises that every setback is a setup for a comeback. We teach our students that the path to success is paved with lessons learned from failure and missteps. This assists in building a resilient mindset that prepares them for the ups and downs of problem solving and innovative thinking.
Far from being a force to avoid, conflict is embraced within our program as a catalyst for collaboration and solution development.
By engaging in constructive conflict, students learn to see differing viewpoints not as barriers, but as bridges to innovative solutions. This develops their skills in communication, empathy building and being open to new perspectives.
This environment of respectful challenge and debate fosters a culture where ideas can be tested, refined, and transformed into actionable strategies.
These skills are not just accessories to innovation, problem solving and creative thinking; they are its very essence.
We intend to build a thriving ecosystem of young startup founders and highly engaged supporters who can buy from, invest in, or otherwise support our student-led startups.
The following in-person events are a fantastic way to get to know the growing community behind the secondary student program.
Full-day bootcamp excursions
An on-campus face-to-face program for teachers to bring students to Macquarie University for a full day excursion.
During our highly sought-after bootcamps, groups of six students and accompanying teachers from up to six schools have the opportunity to spend an entire day at the spectacular Incubator for an entrepreneurial skills- and confidence-building program.
Key details
- Cost: free
- Capacity: up to 36 students
- Timing: one day
In thought-provoking discussions and workshops, you’ll gain an understanding of the skills, people, frameworks and resources leveraged by innovators and entrepreneurs to effect positive, sustainable change in the world.
Participants will build entrepreneurial skills and self-efficacy through:
- empathising with one another
- identifying problems worth solving
- design solutions worth testing
- persuasively pitching new ideas.
Ideas challenge program
All NSW high schoolers are welcome to apply. You don’t need to think of yourself as a ‘creative’ or an ‘entrepreneur’ – just bring an idea for how to solve a real-world problem and we’ll help you explore how you might be able to take it further.
Participants need to have an idea to apply for the program, but it’s alright if you are not sure of it; we can help you work on it.
Key details
- Cost: free
- Capacity: uncapped
- Timing: approximately five weeks, during a school term
In the program’s three modules, you’ll learn about:
- the processes of planning to take your idea to the next stage
- prototyping to bring your idea to life
- pitching your idea, and how to gain funding and other support.
We will provide you with online resources and live online sessions focused on the area of learning and an assessment task where you can be awarded a certification for your work.
The online live sessions will provide you with the opportunity to:
- learn from experts in the field
- join a cohort of likeminded students
- gain new skills and certification from the team at Macquarie University Incubator and Young Wisdom.
You can choose to receive extra feedback on your work from our team during the program. You can also email our team to receive more tailored tips and connections.
Lessons will be recorded so you can refer back to materials covered or watch in their own time.
Note: You will need to provide parental permission via email that you can:
- attend the calls with your camera on
- be livestreamed
- be recorded for use in future educational and promotional video edits.
Term 1 pitch night 2024
See photos from our most recent secondary student pitch night.
Teacher roundtable
Each term we bring together teachers from public, private and independent schools for roundtable discussions focused on how best to identify, engage and responsibility support high school entrepreneurs embarking on new startup ventures.
We also want to develop capabilities in creative thinking and problem solving techniques in Australian secondary students.
Many schools, networks and associations are exploring creative and entrepreneurial skills-building in their own ways, which is why opportunities for professional knowledge exchange are so important to teachers looking to extend their practice to supporting innovators and entrepreneurs within their own school communities.
We greatly appreciate the opportunity to host and facilitate these discussions as we continuously update our programs, events and free resources to be as useful as possible to both students and teachers alike.
This is a key part of our mission to:
- support genuine student entrepreneurialism at scale
- develop key capabilities in creative thinking and problem solving.
Teachers have the trust and respect of their students, as well as the most day-to-day access to them. Without teachers closely involved in the design, delivery and promotion of our various programs, we can’t imagine making a genuine dent in the current access problem faced by many schools and students.