In an effort to meet the growing demand for innovation in Australasia, SAP ANZ is expanding its flagship youth innovation program, Young ICT Explorers, to seven states and territories in Australia, as well as to Auckland for the first time.
“It’s rare two problems can become each other’s solution, but bridging the ICT skills gap is an effective way to resolving youth unemployment and equipping organisations with the digital-ready workforces they need to be competitive today and into the future,” said John Ruthven, president and managing director, SAP Australia and New Zealand.
“Through Young ICT Explorers in 2016, SAP is calling on industry, government and academia to join forces and drive the required change. Developing ICT skills is not the responsibility of a single organisation, but of businesses of all industries and sizes,” he said.
This year’s competition, designed to inspire, encourage and support children to create and innovate with technology, builds on the success of last year, which saw a record number 874 students present 371 projects.
The number of organisations supporting the program has also grown with SAP and Digital Careers being joined this year by the Discovery Channel, the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), Symantec, CompTIA, Fujitsu and Soltius.
New partner Discovery Networks is excited to be on board with the competition for the first time.
“We’re delighted to partner with Young ICT Explorers – a great example of a platform inspiring interest in technology and the opportunities it presents for the youth of Australia. We are proud to be a part of this year’s program, instilling confidence in tomorrow’s innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Mandy Pattinson, executive vice president and general manager, Discovery Networks, Australia, NZ and the Pacific Islands.
The competition, which runs in partnership with leading universities including the University of Queensland, University of New South Wales, Deakin, The University of Tasmania, Edith Cowan University, James Cook University and the Australian National University, features judging by industry professionals and academics based on creativity, uniqueness, quality, level of difficulty and project documentation.
Registrations are now open and available online at www.youngictexplorers.net.au for teachers and parents to register students from years 3 to 12 for venues across the country.
