Transcript:

When you first walk in to the Tech School, it feels like the sort of place where you could work on an idea and bring it to fruition. We have the technology to enable people to really pursue interests that they have.

I first came in contact with the Tech Schools through my Biology teacher. I got involved in the Microsoft Botathon program. We learned how to use the Microsoft Azure platform and its AI capabilities to launch a chatbot. The Tech School won’t teach programming in a way that is repetitive or off the textbook, it teaches programming or whatever the skill might be to achieve a goal.

The following year I participated in the student start up program. Which was a great six week program where industry mentors helped the participants develop their businesses. I worked on my note taking website Noterist. At the end of the six weeks it culminated in a presentation night. The skills I have taken from there I have used on all of my projects since so if you get involved with the Tech Schools the skills that you learn will always be applicable to your projects.

Since then I’ve graduated from high school and now I am studying computer science at Melbourne University. I still come to the Tech School but now I work here. Helping to mentor young people with autism in the Lab program where we use a range different game development tools to do some programming and 3d modelling.

I’d really recommend for any students that are interested in the Tech Schools to come along and to try it out. It’s such a great place to explore and experiment. Being involved in a community where people are doing radically different things means you and your thinking are radically diversified as well.

I think you’ll find the skills you take away will always be actionable.