CASE STUDY
SuperIP Industry Immersion
An immersive workshop event connecting pathways for aspiring lawyers, scientists and engineers.
Partnership
MTS has been a longstanding member of the Convergence Science Network (CSN), an organisation that communicates bio-medical science advances, and opportunities, to researchers, academics, businesses and the community. CSN offers multiple networking opportunities to a diverse range of members.
SuperIP was a concept born from a networking conversation between Senior staff from Philips Ormonde Fitzpatrick (POF), the MTS Director and the CEO of Convergence Science Network. Through the partnership drive approach of the Precinct, Partnerships and Pathways team at Monash Tech School, SuperIP was positioned to demonstrate the different ways industry collaborators can contribute to an immersion activity.
SuperIP was a perfect example of how the industry can contribute “in kind” support to co-design and deliver a relevant and targeted immersion event for Secondary School students. In this instance, POF, the industry stakeholder, provided in-kind support by hosting the event, sponsoring catering, supporting staff to participate in an industry panel experience, and loaning or providing technology support on the day.
The CSN provided a networking environment that connected the right people in the room. The ideation that led to a deliverable program with tangible outcomes happened because the right people were in the right place at the same time.
Program
Hosted by specialist law firm Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick (POF), senior secondary school students spent the day in a corporate law environment, immersing themselves in the fascinating and dynamic world of intellectual property protection.
Workshops were designed and delivered by Senior Law Academic Dr Mitchell Adams from Swinburne Law School. For one day, students became undergraduates, learning and digesting content usually taught to third-year law students. It posed an almost impossible challenge: ‘How might patent law be delivered to secondary school students that provided enough context to build industry context, challenge students and segway into a technology-orientated second workshop?’
The content was rich and, importantly, provided a first taste for students of the language, principles and application of law in a corporate legal environment.
Students were then challenged to generate their own STEM invention using LittleBits technology. In a second workshop co-designed and delivered by MTS Facilitator Rebecca Taylor, aspiring scientists and engineers got busy designing and building their concepts. The budding lawyers then built a patent specification with Dr Mitchell Adams that would protect their ideas and intellectual property.
Pulling it all together was a POF industry panel and pathways segment featuring Senior Patent Attorney Adam Pepper, Trainee Patent Attorney Winney Yang, Senior Associate Trade Mark Attorney Jackie Leong, and Paralegal/Legal Assistant Alexandra Williams. Students asked probing questions that explored topics including FEE-HELP debt, changing your mind, alternative pathways to qualification, soft versus tech skills, any regrets, the wildest inventions that needed legal protection and advice on work, study, and life balance.
What made this day unique? The workshop activities were designed by a Senior Law Academic, and delivered in an industry environment, with students who opted into the day. The theory was underpinned by a technology-focused workshop that utilised applied learning principles. Finally, students were able to meet professionals who could talk about the opportunities available in Science, Engineering and Law pathways from their lived experience. Whilst some students were focused on a pathway in Law, others were interested in a Science or Engineering pathway and were curious about how two pathways might be combined.
Outcomes
A co-branded digital badge was issued to students, capturing the industry partners involved and the foundation skills and experiences gleaned by participating students. For many students, it will be their first career asset earned in a long journey to achieving a professional qualification.
The key takeaway for students is that they don’t need to choose between STEM or Humanities, Arts and Social Science (HASS) subjects when making senior school subject selections. As University messaging continues to push the value of a double degree, students have learned that a combination of Science or Engineering and Law can combine the best of both worlds.
85% of students agreed they learned something new.
84.4% of students accepted their SuperIP co-branded digital badge
26% of students are MORE LIKELY to do a STEM course at University or TAFE
21% of students are MORE LIKELY to study a VCE STEM subject.
