West Australian students have now finished their final ATAR exams, but experts have warned the courses will not be enough to “truly prepare students for the future”, with the gap between classrooms and the workplace still too wide.
Young Entrepreneurs Academy WA director Cameron Thorn has suggested there should be a greater focus on entrepreneurship, and nurturing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in the state’s schools.
Cameron Thorn (left), says nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset should be a fundamental part of every student’s education, regardless of their career path.Credit: Curtin University
He said this would involve bridging that gap between classroom and industry.
“Bridging the gap ... is essential, creating opportunities for students to connect with local entrepreneurs who can offer insights into the skills necessary for success, and how to cultivate these in the classroom,” Thorn said.
“WA’s primary and secondary teachers require access to quality resources, including training programs, relevant assessment rubrics and lesson plans aligned with business curricula that promote entrepreneurial thinking from the ground up.”
Thorn suggested this would help create “the future that WA wants”.
WA Innovation Minister Stephen Dawson agrees, Thorn says.
At the recent WA Innovator of the Year Awards, Dawson highlighted the role young people play in shaping the state’s future, sharing his vision for the state to become a “global hub of invention, investment and impact”.
This included announcing the launch of a Young Innovators Award starting next year – the first of its kind in Australia.
Scotch College principal Alec O’Connell said employers valued the ability to think, analyse and research.
But he said while it was difficult to argue with Thorn’s philosophy, one of the greatest challenges was schools often struggled to teach everything in what he described as a “cluttered curriculum, coupled with the associated assessment demands.”
O’Connell, who was a panel member for the recent review into changing senior secondary pathways, said its final report recognised the need to rethink the system and what it delivered for students.
“This includes not only the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy, but also critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and research skills,” he said.
“These skills are valuable for both further education and future careers and employment in the workforce.”
At Scotch, O’Connell said changes had already begun.
They run an online course designed to link graduates with industry through a five-day, live-in program.
The school also introduced an agribusiness course in 2024 – one of six schools in the state but one of just two which were not agricultural colleges.
Thorn said the Academy and Curtin University were partnering on a pilot program where teachers could gain credentials in creativity and innovation.
There are also plans to work with education and industry leaders to “create a consistent set of entrepreneurial traits and capabilities – and robust methods of accurately assessing them” in schools.
“By fostering a culture of innovation in our schools, we can empower students to develop the real life-skills to help them succeed,” Thorn said.
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