• Charles Sturt Innovation Hubs’ Emerge Program sessions feature special headline speaker in Wagga Wagga

Former Yellow Wiggle turned entrepreneur, Mr Sam Moran, will provide an inspiring and energising hour with high school students who want to learn about creativity, problem solving and ingenuity.

Charles Sturt University’s Incubator Hubs is presenting inspirational speaker sessions through the Emerge Program, with former Wagga Wagga resident Mr Moran as the headline speaker for the event.

The Emerge Program is for high school students in Years 9 to 11 who wish to develop skills around problem solving, critical thinking, digital literacy, communication, collaboration, creativity, leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The program is designed to prepare students to enter a changing and evolving workforce.

Students will be tasked with reimagining the ideal classroom/lecture theatre and will be able to ask Mr Moran questions as part of the session as he takes them through an activity to tackle a problem.

Charles Sturt Innovation Hubs Project Officer Ms Siobhain Howard said they were delighted to have Mr Moran headline these sessions to share his expertise with Wagga Wagga-based high school students.

“As a Wagga Wagga local, Sam has a rich past of incredible success and later as a very successful entrepreneur, and we’re thrilled that he will be sharing his experience with local students,” she said.

Mr Moran said he was looking forward to returning to his hometown and interacting with students entering the workforce.

“The world that these students are going to lead is fast-paced and fast-changing and one where creative thinking is valued more than ever,” he said.

“To return to my hometown and be able to share some of my experience with the students is a full-circle moment that I’m looking forward to immensely.”

The Emerge Program is funded by round three of the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund.

Minister for Regional Youth the Hon. Ben Franklin, MLC, said $114,506 through the Stronger Country Communities Fund allows Charles Sturt’s Emerge program to help young people develop skills to prepare them for the evolving and uncertain future workforce.

“The Stronger Country Communities Fund delivers programs that have a big positive impact on everyday life for those living in regional NSW, and this is a perfect example of the type of project this program was created to fund,” Mr Franklin said.

“It is estimated that today’s 15-year-olds will navigate 17 different jobs across five different careers in their lifetime and that 58 per cent of current students under 25 are studying for jobs that will rapidly change through technology. This program will help equip our youth for the changing workforce.

“Great projects, just like this one, are being announced in regional NSW every day to benefit the wider community and now our youth. I congratulate Charles Sturt University on this program and look forward to hearing stories of its success.”

Students have participated in design thinking bootcamps, coding programs and guest speaker sessions with the program to culminate in youth incubator days in June. Aspects of the program have complied with COVID-safe regulations, where required, in 2021 and 2022.

Sessions for high school students will be held on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 March at various times during the day.

Schools and university students interested in attending the three-day youth incubator in June should contact innovate@csu.edu.au.