VCE Vocational Major Students Showcase Major Project to Build Sustainable Future Cities

At an event hosted in partnership with Bendigo Tech School and Latrobe University on Friday 21 July, Girton Grammar School’s VCE Vocational Major (VM) students showcased an ambitious project to envision and construct a virtual sustainable future city named ‘Bendigo 2040’.

Held at the university’s Bendigo campus, the local community was well represented at the event. In addition to our students and their parents, guests included Mr Jay Weston, Ms Dawn Davis, Mr Nigel Vernon and Mr Jarrod Wiese from Girton Grammar School; members of the Bendigo Council, including Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf and town planners; industry representatives; and interested community members. 

Part of the students’ hybrid Future Cities project, the endeavour encouraged them to think creatively, critically and collaboratively as they researched, designed and built their virtual city. In groups, students pitched their vision of Bendigo 2040, integrating the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, the Five Factors of Liveability and innovative technologies. Guests were fully immersed in the project thanks to the use of PowerPoint, Holo Lenses, 3D modelling app Asset Forge, and games such as Mytopia and Mount Resilience. 

Leading the Future Cities Project at Girton with the support and collaboration of Bendigo Tech School and La Trobe University is Girton’s VM and Inclusive Education teacher, Mrs Yvette Shanley. Mrs Shanley has been actively involved with Bendigo Tech School since 2021 and is a member of the Advisory Board and the Community of Practice of STEAM Bendigo, hosted by Bendigo Tech. Mrs Shanley continues to collaborate with the Bendigo Tech School to bring quality programmes, such as this one, to the VM students of Girton.

"The magnitude of this project, being a huge focus of their VM studies, is something very unique; nothing like I have seen before at Girton," said Mr Nigel Vernon, Head of Inclusive Education. 

Girton's involvement in the Future Cities Project highlights the school's commitment to empowering students to tackle global challenges and envision sustainable futures. By integrating innovative technologies and collaborating with Bendigo Tech School and La Trobe University, Girton is equipping students with the skills and knowledge to become leaders in their communities. 

VM students have now embarked on a new project for Semester 2: Renewable Energies. It is projects like these that drive innovation and nurture the next generation of change-makers.

Mrs Yvette Shanley

Teacher of Vocational Major & the Victorian Pathways Certificate