Future Solutions in Focus: Monash Tech School inspires students at AMW2025
Students from across five Monash region schools stepped into the future of work at the Australian Manufacturing Week (AMW2025) Industry Immersion, hosted by AMTIL at AMW, in collaboration with Monash Tech School. The event, dubbed Future Solutions, provided a rare and powerful opportunity for secondary students to engage directly with cutting-edge technology, training providers, and industry professionals in the heart of Australia’s advanced manufacturing sector.
Held at AMW2025, the immersive experience gave 61 students a firsthand look at the innovation driving the sector, with hands-on exposure to emerging technologies and career pathways. Participating schools included Ashwood High School, Brentwood Secondary College, Highvale Secondary College, Mazenod College, and Wheelers Hill Secondary College.
“It’s one thing to see this kind of work online,” said a teacher from a partner school. “But it’s quite another to walk the floor and speak directly to the people shaping Australia’s industrial future.”
Students didn’t just observe — they engaged. They asked questions, explored training options, and imagined themselves in roles they may never have considered before. Survey results from the day highlight the event’s significant impact:
- 56% of students reported being more likely to consider a vocational education and training (VET) program.
- 40% said they were more likely to pursue a career in STEM after school.
- 32% felt more inclined to enrol in STEM courses at university or TAFE.
And it wasn’t just about career choices. The program also fostered personal growth, with 92% of participants saying they learned something new, and 84% reporting they had better understood industries that rely on STEM.
Teachers were equally impressed, noting how the experience sparked deeper classroom conversations about innovation, scale, and the real-world application of the skills students learn in school.
Monash Tech School Director Judith Graham said the immersion program exemplifies what can happen when education and industry unite. “Bridging the gap between the classroom and the workplace is essential if we want to equip students with the skills and confidence to thrive in the future economy.”
Feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive: 96% of students said they would like to attend another Monash Tech School program — a clear vote of confidence in the value of such initiatives.