NEWSROOM
Catalyst programme inspires secondary school students’ future potential
Catalyst is a programme that recently enabled 160 students from 19 different secondary schools to explore study and career options through a range of interactive sessions held at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland.
The programme has been developed in partnership with schools and research centres and connects New Zealand’s highest potential Year 12 learners directly with areas and future opportunities they may not otherwise get to experience or appreciate while still in secondary school. Catalyst focuses on demonstrating the real-world applicability of curriculum-related concepts, research and future internship opportunities and brings students onto campus to connect with University spaces and people ahead of their tertiary journey.
Part of the students’ experience including being hosted by the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). CIE offers free co-curricular learning opportunities to students and staff of all faculties of the University of Auckland, to enable participants to develop skills and mindset that will support their future potential for innovative careers or start-up creation.
While on campus, Catalyst participants had the opportunity to sample some of CIE’s offerings including a challenge-based growth mindset workshop and a rapid prototyping workshop held at CIE’s innovation hub Unleash Space – home to 3D printers, a laser cutter and a wide variety of other rapid fabrication technologies. Catalyst participants also had the opportunity to learn about innovative ways to look at ideation and problem solving and experienced a LEGO Serious Play (LSP) workshop, with the theme of exploring future careers. LSP is an academic experiential methodology for exploring and communicating novel thinking that was developed by Swiss professors in the 1990s and that is regularly used by CIE for workshops.
CIE’s Technology and Protoyping Manager Sean Kelly says “Part of the sessions were delivered by current University of Auckland students, who are employed as Creative Technologists in our maker space. I think for many of the Catalyst participants it was an eye-opening experience to see what university can be like.”
The University of Auckland’s Schools and Communities Manager Kate Ricketts says “The students were so positive about their experience, and it was thrilling to hear them chat about research and detailed concepts post-sessions. Many of them discovered areas they never knew existed or had considered and the accompanying staff highly rated the integration of research, innovation, physical spaces, industry links and career destinations.”
The recent sessions were just a part of the year’s schedule of Catalyst programming, which caters to four distinct cohorts: High Achieving, High Potential, Whākōkī and Pacific.
Kate says “We aim to enable student to get to know us more intimately as an institution full of heart, research and knowledge.”
Catalyst is a programme that recently enabled 160 students from 19 different secondary schools to explore study and career options through a range of interactive sessions held at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland.
The programme has been developed in partnership with schools and research centres and connects New Zealand’s highest potential Year 12 learners directly with areas and future opportunities they may not otherwise get to experience or appreciate while still in secondary school. Catalyst focuses on demonstrating the real-world applicability of curriculum-related concepts, research and future internship opportunities and brings students onto campus to connect with University spaces and people ahead of their tertiary journey.
Part of the students’ experience including being hosted by the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). CIE offers free co-curricular learning opportunities to students and staff of all faculties of the University of Auckland, to enable participants to develop skills and mindset that will support their future potential for innovative careers or start-up creation.
While on campus, Catalyst participants had the opportunity to sample some of CIE’s offerings including a challenge-based growth mindset workshop and a rapid prototyping workshop held at CIE’s innovation hub Unleash Space – home to 3D printers, a laser cutter and a wide variety of other rapid fabrication technologies. Catalyst participants also had the opportunity to learn about innovative ways to look at ideation and problem solving and experienced a LEGO Serious Play (LSP) workshop, with the theme of exploring future careers. LSP is an academic experiential methodology for exploring and communicating novel thinking that was developed by Swiss professors in the 1990s and that is regularly used by CIE for workshops.
CIE’s Technology and Protoyping Manager Sean Kelly says “Part of the sessions were delivered by current University of Auckland students, who are employed as Creative Technologists in our maker space. I think for many of the Catalyst participants it was an eye-opening experience to see what university can be like.”
The University of Auckland’s Schools and Communities Manager Kate Ricketts says “The students were so positive about their experience, and it was thrilling to hear them chat about research and detailed concepts post-sessions. Many of them discovered areas they never knew existed or had considered and the accompanying staff highly rated the integration of research, innovation, physical spaces, industry links and career destinations.”
The recent sessions were just a part of the year’s schedule of Catalyst programming, which caters to four distinct cohorts: High Achieving, High Potential, Whākōkī and Pacific.
Kate says “We aim to enable student to get to know us more intimately as an institution full of heart, research and knowledge.”
EMAIL
CIE@AUCKLAND.AC.NZ
POSTAL ADDRESS
THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL
PRIVATE BAG 92019, AUCKLAND
