Plans to beef up computer skills
Source: MICHELLE WISBEY
Grifin Brooks, 16, of Launceston uses a 3D printer.
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AS WE move into the future, there is no denying that technology will continue to take over the world.
It is hard to say just where the future of technology is headed but computer literacy is set to become more important than ever before.
Sitting alongside English, maths and science, learning computing, coding and robotics could one day be included in the Australian curriculum - and sooner than we think.
In October 2015, the Queensland government announced plans to offer coding and robotics tuition for all students from prep to grade 10.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk previously said the initiative was all about preparing Australia's children for the future.
"Learning coding and applying these skills to real world problems will help students to be critical thinkers, innovators and problem solvers," Ms Palaszczuk said.
Tasmania is not too far behind taking the same approach.
Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the government had already taken action to rollout coding across all Tasmanian government schools.
He said that by the end of 2018, all schools would be teaching the subject.
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"We want to lift educational outcomes for Tasmanians, including in ICT, and that's why we're taking action to boost ICT in Tasmanian schools," Mr Rockliff said.
"Earlier this year, Tasmania became the first state in Australia to partner with Code Club, for a statewide rollout across all primary schools.
"Code Clubs is a network of free educator and volunteer-led school and library-based code clubs for children aged nine to 11."
Today, there are more than 1500 Tasmanian students in 51 schools enrolled in the program.
Startup Tasmania president James Riggall has helped to run coding, electronics, computing and robotics classes to young Launceston residents for several years.
He said that while not every student will need these coding and robotics skills for their career, there will be many more employment opportunities than in the past.
"If we look at the trends that are happening globally at the moment, particularly in the Western world, most of the fundamentally new skilled employment is happening in these areas," Mr Riggall said.
"If you think about what those jobs of the future will be, that's where those new roles are going to come from. We're making sure that they have a choice so as they do grow older, it's like literacy of any other kind."
After seeing the positive response from the community, Mr Riggall said there was an appetite for this kind of education in Tasmania.
"Tasmania has an opportunity to be a leader in this area because we're small enough to be able to make fairly substantial changes if there's the will to do it."
For 16-year-old Grifin Brooks, a curriculum that included coding and robotics would combine his education with his hobbies.
The Launceston student has long had an interest in computer technology and said he would have liked to have learnt more about it while in primary school.
"I think it's really important, especially with the way the world's moving with the trend towards technology," he said.
"I think that being able to program is a very essential skill and robotics is just a great skill to have for engineering and design areas."
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