About 440 Gen Zeds who could power the next wave of digital innovation will descend on QUT on July 23 for the Big Day In - an IT careers conference for high school students and undergraduate students.
The sold-out day is an annual event but 2015 marks the first time it has been hosted by QUT.
The day will also include the launch of the 2015 National ICT Careers Week.
Students will be able to hear 12 speakers from companies such as Westpac, IBM, and WiseTech Global and also attend a careers expo with employers including tech corporations, universities and the Queensland Government IT Graduate Program.
Federal Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Science, Karen Andrews MP, will attend the event.
"As a QUT engineering graduate, I have a great appreciation first of all for the power and importance of good skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM skills, and second, how critical ICT is to enabling so much of what we do in everyday life," Ms Andrews said.
"A report recently estimated that Australia will need an extra 100,000 ICT-skilled people by 2020 - that's only five years away.
"Last October, the Federal Government announced an additional $12 million for initiatives that increase the focus on STEM subjects in primary and secondary schools. This includes $3.5 million over four years for Coding across the Curriculum.
"It is with great pleasure that I'll be launching National ICT Careers Week on Thursday, any initiative that encourages more kids to study STEM has my full support."
Students will also hear from Queensland's Science and Innovation Minister, Leeanne Enoch.
"I'm looking forward to meeting some of the young people who will be making a positive contribution to Queensland as we continue to develop a thriving knowledge-based economy," Ms Enoch said.
"It's great timing too. Just last week the State Budget was released which included our $180 million Advance Queensland initiative, a key part of which is making sure our young people have the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow."
QUT's Executive Dean of Science and Engineering, Professor Gordon Wyeth, said big data, mobile, cloud, security and robotics jobs would be some of the biggest IT career areas for Gen Zeds.
"The job market of tomorrow will look very different to how it does today," Professor Wyeth said.
"While science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills are increasingly important in today's society, they will be a must-have for the next generation.
"QUT is an acknowledged leader in IT, creating important developments in research and education.
"Our lecturers are some of the world's best and work with industry to develop intensive student programs, courses, scholarships, and graduate opportunities as well as conduct pioneering research for real world impact."
QUT's STEM Teacher in Residence, Ann Brant, said she also believed classroom strategies that prepared students for future jobs were evolving with technology.
"Teachers are appreciating the importance of integrating new technologies into classrooms, and becoming re-inspired by QUT's technology workshops and world-class facilities, such as The Cube," Ms Brant said.
"QUT's STEM for Schools intensive workshop program for high school students grew 25 per cent since inception in 2013 to more than 5,300 students from 60 schools participating this year.
"Technology-based workshops like coding are most popular. Students learn to program Arduino micro controllers, design and code robotic cars or learn how to use 'Processing' - an open source programming language."
Conference speakers set to inspire the young delegates include Mammoth Media founder David Harrison (online services for digital music, movies and video gaming), Gold Coast-based IBM software engineers Jared Page and Sam Lewis, TechnologyOne R&D director Brett Hooker, and WiseTech Global founder Richard White (healthcare and logistics technology).
What: Big Day In 2015 IT careers conference
When: Thursday, July 23, 9am - 2.30pm
Where: Gardens Theatre (X Block), QUT Gardens Point campus
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Media contacts:
- Mechelle McMahon, QUT media officer, 07 3138 9449 or media@qut.edu.au
- Professor Gordon Wyeth, 07 3138 2781 or gordon.wyeth@qut.edu.au
