A growing field for our alumni: Design, Production & Digital Technologies
As the design and technology field continues to change and grow, many of our Old Boys are continuing to further their studies at some of Australia’s top institutions.
Here Kent Moore shares how many current and future Old Boys are benefitting from new opportunities in this constantly changing field.
We had a great year last year with very successful outcomes and many boys have gone on to other institutions continuing their studies in Design.
This year has seen some changes in the faculty with the formation of the national Technologies Curriculum framework. In keeping with the national agenda on Design and Digital Technologies we have structured our learning area to meet the new requirements and setup new focal points for the future. Our learning area at Hutchins is now known as the Faculty for Design, Production & Digital Technologies.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) on a national scale provides excellent opportunities for our boys to gain qualifications that are consistent across Australia and relate to a range of industries. VET programs are widely recognised and offer pathways with a broader base of options other than tertiary pathway alone.
As a faculty we are working at including more VET programs for our boys to participate in. We are working towards offering pathways in Engineering, Digital Design and Information & Communication Technologies. In 2013 Cert.II in Engineering will be covered by boys enrolled in Design in Metal from Years 10–12. This is an exciting program and as a staff are working hard at making the program as successful as we can. Future directions will be explored next year with possible options in Furniture and Wood Design, together with more sustainable work practices using wood veneers, plantation based products and associated technologies for manufacturing and finishing.
In 2012, as part of the UTAS pathways program we participated in the Object Design program run through the School of Art with students solving a themed design brief in the design and production of an object, culminating in a student presentation at one of the gallery spaces at UTAS. 2012 participants were James Macleod (Computer Graphics & Design) OB ’12, Hugh Jones (Housing and Design) Year 12, Oscar Beattie (Design and Production – Wood) Year 12 and Richard Giblin (Design and Production – Wood) OB ’12. This was a very positive experience for the boys and staff who participated.
Kent Moore
Head of Design Production and Digital Technologies