The Minister's Innovation Challenge 2024

Forty teams of Year 8 students from WA public schools are participating in The Minister’s Innovation Challenge 2024. Students will use design thinking to develop innovative solutions to local issues or problems.

The Minister’s Innovation Challenge aims to ensure our young people are better prepared to lead and innovate in our changing world. It forms part of the Career Learning Toolkit developed to address the critical need for career learning for secondary school students.

The challenge provides an opportunity for a broad range of Year 8 students to engage in entrepreneurial education. A teacher from each participating school will coordinate their team of students and help students engage with the online lessons. A local industry mentor will provide advice and valuable insights.

Each team’s final pitch will be showcased during an online exhibition. The Minister for Education will announce the 5 top-ranked teams who will share a $35,000 cash prize pool.

The challenge is delivered online by Bloom The Centre for Youth Innovation (Bloom).

Key dates and activities

Key dates and activities for The Minister's Innovation Challenge 2024
Dates	Activity
17 June 2024	Launch of the Minister’s Innovation Challenge. Student team nominations open.
2 August 2024	Student team nominations close.
13 August 2024	Nominated teams are notified of outcomes.
7 October to 15 November 2024	The challenge starts and industry mentors support school teams over 6 weeks.
27 November 2024	The Minister for Education announces the 5 top-ranked teams at an online exhibition.

Become an industry mentor

Industry mentors are key to the success of the challenge. Each team of Year 8 students receives support from an experienced industry operator.

Industry mentors can have either a:

track record in leading, or being a key player in, start-ups
background in innovation in a public company.

They will also have:

an interest in mentoring young people openly and respectfully
a Working with Children Check or National Police Clearance Check (or willing to obtain one).

If you would like to be involved as an industry mentor, express your interest to Dr Lucy Halsall, Principal Consultant, Secondary, District High Schools and Post School Pathways by email at lucy.halsall@education.wa.edu.au or phone at (08) 6206 2039.

Find participating schools and previous challenge winners

Find which schools are participating in 2024 and check out the winning and participating schools in last year's challenge.

Participating schools in 2024
Winning schools for 2023
Participating schools in 2023

The following schools, listed by education region, are participating in the 2024 Minister’s Innovation Challenge.

Goldfields

Esperance Senior High School
Laverton School

Kimberley

East Kimberley College

Midwest

Champion Bay Senior High School
Exmouth District High School

North Metropolitan

Alkimos College
Balcatta Senior High School
Ballajura Community College
Belridge Secondary College
Bob Hawke College
Butler College
Christmas Island District High School
Clarkson Community High School
Duncraig Senior High School
Governor Stirling Senior High School
Joseph Banks Secondary College
Mount Lawley Senior High School
Ocean Reef Senior High School
Perth Modern School

Pilbara

Hedland Senior High School

South Metropolitan

Armadale Senor High School
Belmont City College
Canning Vale College
Cecil Andrews College
Darling Range Sports College
Halls Head College
Harrisdale Senior High School
Kalamunda Senior High School
Kelmscott Senor High School
Lakeland Senior High School
Lesmurdie Senior High School
Lynwood Senior High School
Piara Waters Senior High School
Warnbro Community High School

South West

Bridgetown High School
Bunbury Senior High School
Dalyellup College
Denmark Senior High School
Newton Moore Senior High School

Wheatbelt

Katanning Senior High School

The winning schools for 2023 were:

First place: Bob Hawke College

Second place: Denmark Senior High School

Third place: Exmouth District High School.

Learn more about the winning schools.

The following schools, listed by region, participated in the 2023 Minister’s Innovation Challenge.