Visiting Pimpama State Secondary College last week, Innovation Minister Leeanne Enoch congratulated the college on the Jump Start Program that has introduced design thinking and social entrepreneurship to the school’s curriculum.

Pimpama State Secondary College Year 7 Jump Start students are working on a project that seeks to tackle the wicked problem of food waste and transform our relationship with food. 

Professional Photographer and Videographer Kiah Lucey came along to shoot a video and inspire the students. Kiah kindly spoke to Tom about her professional journey and has given some advice to students thinking about taking a creative path forward.

Clean Coast Collective Founder Natalie Woods, participated in the Jump Start Beach Cleanup last week, providing excellent support, resources, inspiration and advice to students during their excursion day.

Pimpama State Secondary College’s Creative Industries Faculty has partnered with FiveOceans, Clean Coast Collective and Design Strategist Tom Allen (Seven Positive), providing a Jump Start experience to develop and manufacture sustainable surf products from ocean waste.

There's no doubt that during your lifetime you've come across inspiring leaders and teachers who have dramatically impacted your mindset and positively shaped the way your life has unfolded. Jump Start engages with university student mentors in order to provide advice, inspiration and real life examples for high schoolers involved in the program. Recently, QUT design student Rachel Stevens visited Jump Start.

Jump Start has been awarded a Good Design Award in the Service Design, Education Services category. The Awards have promoted excellence in design, innovation and creativity at a national and international level since 1958.

There's no doubt that learning Design Thinking encourages innovation, creativity and an ability to turn problems into opportunities. Yet becoming a skilled design thinker can take some experience. So what are some of the common challenges?