Page 52 - Print21 July-Aug 2018 Magazine

visual connections | news
Visual Connections continues to invest in the Education Program and the work we are doing with
Re-Engineering Australia, to get students interested in a career in the Print and Sign Industry.
Students place Graphics, Signage & Display and Print at the top of their careers of interest
Visual Connections is a primary sponsor of Re-Engineering Australia Foundation Ltd (REA). REA facilitates career intervention activities which encourage students to engage with industry careers involving Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). A fundamental and critical differentiator of the REA’s programs has been the requirement for students to work directly with industry partners in the context of their projects.
All REA programs require students to collaborate and interact with industry and industry mentors to learn about technology and career path options. Students are required to seek out information about career pathways
in the industry that aligns with their skills and
motivations. This has resulted in a significant increase in understanding of career pathways options in both the students and more importantly the teachers.
Each year, REA surveys students as part of
an ongoing research project to determine the effectiveness of its programs and how they can be modified to increase student understanding of the opportunities which exist in the industry.
This research process is in the form of questionnaires completed by both teachers and students. The sample size for the
2017-18 research was 316 students and
80 teachers from NSW, QLD, WA, VIC, WA & TAS. The students and teachers involved in the
survey were participants in the different REA programs.
In this year’s survey, the research looked to determine the interest of students in careers based on Graphics, Signage, Display and Print. The key outcomes from the study include the following, see chart below.
Even though manufacturing currently makes up only 13% of our GDP, 54% of students highlighted that of all the components of REA programs manufacturing came in as the third highest area of interest. A high level of interest in manufacturing bides well for attracting students to manufacturing careers.
87% of students indicated that Graphics, Signage & Display was in their areas of interest as a result of participation.
The task is now for the Graphics, Sign, Display & Print industry to continue to lift their level of engagement with students to ensure that they choose a career path in this direction.
Peter Harper
General Manager,
Publications and Exhibitions Visual Connections Australia Ltd