Before heading back to Katikati College, Harry Dobbs, the successful recipient of the 2013 Young Innovator Awards (YiA) internship, is spending two weeks as an intern at local companies Locus Research and Woods The Creative Agency. An initiative of economic development agency, Priority One, the awards challenge young people to think creatively and to come up with innovative ideas for the design of a product or service.
Harry says the experience has been really interesting so far. “I’ve learnt heaps. I’ve really enjoyed the brainstorming and ideation sessions and also just seeing what it’s like to work in the real world.”
The YiA internship is awarded, at the judges’ discretion, to a Tauranga or Western Bay of Plenty secondary school student entry that shows promise and has qualities that are of a standard that deserves additional support. The recipient is provided with an opportunity to gain experience working within an R&D and branding environment, receiving support and encouragement from experienced professionals in these areas. The internship is part work experience, where the student puts into practice what they have learnt in school and through entering YiA , and part research, where they can further investigate and develop their chosen topic or project.
Starting with a planning session to set out the project goals and objectives, the two week internship ends with Harry delivering a presentation of his project to teams from Locus Research, Woods Creative, and Priority One. Jono Jones, Research Director at Locus Research, is overseeing Harry’s internship and says “We’re having fun with Harry’s project, and he’s learning new skills and confidence working in a team environment. It’s great to have him on board and we’re looking forward to seeing where he can get to with his project.
Lyn Parlane, Priority One’s Instep Manager, says both Woods Creative and Locus Research contribute a significant amount of time to the Young Innovator Awards. “Partnering with and harnessing the expertise of two local award winning companies to help deliver such a unique programme for our region’s secondary schools and young professionals is extremely rewarding,” she says.
Locus Research say each year YiA is getting bigger and better and that they are looking forward to another exciting year. “The YiA programme is a fantastic learning experience for students whether they want a career in design or business. Innovative thinking and problem solving is a vital skill,” says Jono.
Woods The Creative Agency says that YiA is an opportunity for students to develop their creative thinking abilities in a supportive environment. “It is rewarding to see our region’s youth start to believe in their own potential and realise where innovative thinking can take them in the future.”
The Young Innovator Awards was established in 2009 by Priority One’s Instep programme with the aim of inspiring and engaging secondary school students and young professionals in the process of innovative thinking and problem solving. Each year YiA has grown in size and scope and now it is a well-recognised and supported annual event.
This year there will be another category introduced. Careers NZ are generously sponsoring $5000 for an Overall Supreme winner. The submission date for this year’s YiA entries is Friday 4 July, 2014. Application details and further information can be found at www.yia.co.nz.
