Our Technologies students have had a busy start to Term 3, with many opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom in a series of incursions and excursions. These opportunities allow students to see first-hand how the knowledge and skills they develop in Design Technologies, Hospitality, Construction, Networking and Security, Designed Environments, and Graphic Design connect with real-world industries. Each experience has been carefully chosen to inspire creativity, highlight future career pathways, and deepen students’ understanding of how innovation and problem-solving are applied in real-life contexts. The following excursions showcase the variety of ways our learners are connecting classroom concepts with practical, hands-on experiences in the wider community.

Construction incursion – Mr Abram Wilcox

In Week 3, the Construction Pathways students participated in a hands-on incursion, applying industry-standard tools, equipment and teamwork skills to construct three timber raised garden beds for the College’s new Indigenous Garden. Working from a client brief provided by JPC’s First Nations Facilitator, students designed, measured, cut, assembled and finished the beds, demonstrating a high level of independence and practical skill. Once installed, these garden beds will support the cultivation of native bush foods and plants of cultural significance. Some of these plants will even be used in future Food Technology and Hospitality classes, providing meaningful cross-curricular connections across the school.

Hospitality – Mr Charter

In celebration of this year’s school production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, our talented Senior Hospitality students brought the magic of the stage into the kitchen. Tasked with designing a culinary experience that mirrored the whimsy and wonder of the musical, students curated a selection of cooked goods for cast, crew, and guests.
The show-stopping item was a themed Cake Box, with each mini dessert representing one of the five iconic child characters from the musical; each flavour was thoughtfully matched to reflect personality, theme and flair. The box not only delighted taste buds but also showcased the students’ creativity, food styling and production planning skills. Beyond the sweets, students worked collaboratively on food preparation, safe handling, and event coordination, demonstrating the real-world application of their hospitality competencies.

Networking and Security excursion – Mr Harley Bartlett

This week, Mr Wilcox, the Year 11/12 Networking and Security students and I took part in the Mobile Cyber Escape Challenge at UNSW Canberra City. The event provided an immersive, hands-on experience in cybersecurity, allowing students to collaboratively solve puzzles and work together to “escape” the room. Our Year 12 group achieved the second-highest score, completing the challenge in just 20 minutes.
While waiting for their turn in the Cyber Escape Room, students practised a range of cybersecurity skills, including cracking Caesar ciphers, picking locks, exploring their digital footprint, and using tools like Have I Been Pwned. They also engaged in STEM-focused, hands-on practice tasks and attended a lecture on different types of cyber-attacks, which highlighted the growing importance of cybersecurity. A big thank you to UNSW Canberra and Dr Masood Mansoori for delivering such an engaging and educational experience.

  

Senior Design students – Miss Chloe McCallum and Miss Kathryn Allan

Our students recently visited Taglietti: Life in Design at the Canberra Museum and Gallery, an exhibition celebrating the life and work of architect Enrico Taglietti. Born in Italy and later based in Canberra, Taglietti is remembered for his bold, sculptural buildings that combine light, space and material in striking ways.

The exhibition showcased drawings, models, furniture, photographs and personal objects that told the story of his career and the impact of his designs. Students also experienced interactive installations that highlighted Taglietti’s core principles, such as framing the landscape, deceiving gravity, dissolving the façade and creating spaces that challenge expectation.

A practical workshop allowed students to connect what they saw with their own creative practice. Beginning with a paper-folding exercise to represent Taglietti’s principles visually, students then moved on to construct cardboard structures inspired by the shapes and forms in his work. The tasks encouraged creativity, risk-taking and hands-on problem solving.

The excursion was an inspiring opportunity to see how design ideas move from imagination to real-world structures, and to understand how architecture shapes the way we live.

A big thank you to Jodie from the Canberra Museum and Art Gallery for working with our students and sharing her in-depth knowledge of Taglietti’s work.

We look forward to seeing how students apply their learning to their assessment work in the coming weeks. I would like to extend my gratitude to the teachers who have worked countless hours to ensure that these events are a success for the students in Technologies.

Chloe McCallum
Technologies Coordinator