Securing our future

Building skills capabilities and opening up government as a platform for innovation is essential for Australia’s future, Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation Angus Taylor told UTS Business School’s Futures.edu conference. 

The one-day conference, which focused on the rapid changes in entrepreneurial education, formed part of Spark Festival Sydney. 

“If we are to compete successfully and globally, we have to embrace that culture of innovation and entrepreneurship,” Taylor said. “And we need, most importantly, to ensure that our children have the skills for the jobs of the future. That skills side – that capability side – I know is absolutely essential if we are to create the entrepreneurial, innovative economy that we need to succeed in the 21st century.” 
 

“If we are to compete successfully and globally,
we have to embrace that culture
of innovation and entrepreneurship."

Connections between facilitators, mentors and entrepreneurs are an important part of skills building, and partnerships between universities, industry and government can help facilitate those connections, he said. 

“Government will never be a hotbed of innovation and entrepreneurship itself. Opening up government – government as a platform on which people can do great things, create great businesses – is a great opportunity.” 

NSW Minister for Regional Development, Skills and Small Business John Barilaro told the conference we need to build our future today. 

“The future is now. It’s the decisions that we make today, the things that we actually put in place today. The skill sets and the tools that we learn today will actually design the future that we live in, work in and play in.” 

He emphasised the importance of STEAM education – adding arts to the mix of science, technology, engineering and maths. Passion and creativity will drive entrepreneurship, he said. 
 

"The skill sets and the tools that we learn today
will actually design the future
that we live in, work in and play in.” 

Students from schools as well as the UTS MBA in Entrepreneurship and Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation program also took to the stage to explore creativity and innovation in their education. 

In a panel discussion about entrepreneurial education in the primary, secondary and tertiary space, the Executive Director of Public Schools NSW, Murat Dizdar, and principals from schools explored the need for entrepreneurship and creativity to be part of the national curriculum.

Associate Professor Michelle Evans, Program Director of Indigenous Master Class at Charles Sturt University, delivered the keynote address, discussing the importance of Indigenous entrepreneurship: “Indigenous entrepreneurship education is key to the building of our Indigenous business sector.”

The conference continued with discussions about the role of technology and entrepreneurship in education, the state of play around the world and a think tank on fostering a home-grown entrepreneurial culture.  

Spark Festival activities continued at UTS and Powerhouse museum with the STEAM Pop-up Education Space and Fish Tank.

You can listen to the ministers' speeches below ...