With only one percent of Australia’s carpentry workforce being female*, the reimagined Material Solutions component of the Stage 2 Design, Digital Technologies and Engineering subject is just another example of how Kildare College is breaking down stereotypes and bringing Future Focussed learning directly to its students.
Offered for the first time in 2021, students followed the Design Engineering process and fundamentals of Inquiry Based Learning, to design and then manufacture their own projects. And there wasn’t a bookcase or table in sight!
Each student was required to design and create their own project, based on their own interest and passion. They learnt the techniques required to complete their project, as well as collaborate with experts and develop their critical thinking and analysis skills.
Student Shayla, a passionate skateboarder, chose to make her own skateboard, seeking out a professional skateboard maker as her mentor throughout the project. Shayla initially created a template and prototype board to ensure the correct weight and balance. A critical error in the production of the final piece required Shayla to redesign the board, resulting in a lighter design that was easier to manouver. Experimenting with different resins and materials, Shayla created her own grip, and using the process of pyrography transferred her self-drawn artwork onto the timber.
Another student, Sara, chose to make a chess set using Huon Pine and Western Myall woods. Sara used the wood turning machine to create each separate piece by hand, presenting the completed set in a beautifully crafted timber box.
Throughout the process, students received expert assistance from the Chief Demonstrator at the Northern Turners Association, to develop their fine motor skills, using chisels and other tools to complete the more intricate work. Students also used heavier machinery like the wood turning machine and routers, to complete their projects.
Principal Tina Neate says “it’s about providing a holistic education, one that allows the students to have the opportunities to follow their own interests and passions, and the results have been exceptional”.
“It opens up another pathway into engineering for the students, to pursue a STEM career if they choose. We are delighted to be able to offer this subject to our students at Kildare”.
It was evident throughout the year that the students enjoyed the subject. Olivia, who created a concert eukele, receiving a SACE Merit Award for the subject, an A+ grade that places her in the top 1% of students in the State. Olivia will receive her award at Government House in February.
*Australian Government Statistics referenced in https://www.woodreview.com.au/news/the-pink-chippy-breaking-down-barriers.
