• Riverina Inter-School Coding Championship and five-week course to help students in years 7-10 gain knowledge in ‘key skill’

Charles Sturt University, in partnership with The Riverina Anglican College (TRAC), is throwing down a challenge to high school students in the Riverina.

The Riverina Inter-School Coding Championship is an opportunity for the region’s best coders in years 7-10 to get up to speed with the very latest in coding and showcase their skills on behalf of their schools.

The event also caters to beginners, with entrants obtaining access to a five-week online course which will give them an introduction to coding.

At the conclusion of the course, a live competition between different levels of coders – beginners to advanced – will be conducted, with prizes awarded to the winners as well as a trophy for their school.

Charles Sturt University AgriTech Incubator Project Officer Ms Siobhain Howard said the course and competition represent a great chance for regional high school students to develop their knowledge and skills.

“This is a unique opportunity for students to not only show the region what they can do but to also gain access to a great resource to give them a solid introduction to the world of coding,” she said.

“Often, these kinds of opportunities are minimal for students in the regions, and with coding set to be a high-demand skill for the workforce of the future, Charles Sturt University is absolutely thrilled to be able to offer this.”

STEM teacher at TRAC, Mr Isaac Mannion, said the competition was an important part of developing the region’s capabilities in STEM-related disciplines.

“The course and competition aim to engage students, challenging them to think creatively to solve problems,” he said.

“Coding will be a key skill for future generations and we are looking forward to engaging with students.”

A maximum of two teams of three students can be registered by each school. Teachers can register teams here: https://bit.ly/3frwzm3