For many families and members of the wider community, the Technological (Tech) Design course may feel far removed from their own school experiences. In decades past, students often enrolled in home economics or shop classes, courses designed to equip young people with practical skills for their future. Today’s Technological Design courses follow that same foundational spirit while reflecting the reality that preparing students for the future now requires new skills and forms of knowledge.
Now in its third year, the Technological Design course continues to reveal just how eager and capable students are when introduced to complex, real-world skills. The course is centred on a single independent design project in which students identify a need or problem and work toward a solution through thoughtful design. Along the way, students develop a strong understanding of project management, particularly the interconnected relationship between time, effort and materials. Each project is aligned with in-demand industries such as manufacturing or health care and follows the engineering design process from concept to prototype.
Students receive hands-on training with industry-standard software, including vector-based design tools such as Adobe Illustrator and CAD modelling programs like Autodesk Fusion. With access to advanced equipment at HTS, including a laser cutter, 3D printers, a large-format printer-cutter, CNC milling machine and a fully equipped sewing studio with sewing machines and sergers, students can fabricate models and prototypes that bring their ideas to life.
At the heart of the design process is empathy, introduced before students even begin technical training. This stage is often the most challenging, as it requires students to think beyond their own perspectives and consider the needs of others. While empathy is a familiar value within HTS character development, it also plays a critical role in cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset. Successful industry leaders understand the importance of identifying what people need or want. As students design for others, they quickly recognize the importance of seeking input and feedback, reinforcing collaboration as an essential skill throughout the process.
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The range of student work produced in the program highlights both creativity and purpose. Some students have designed architectural models tailored to specific user needs, including spaces for children in hospitals, teens managing anxiety or educators seeking collaborative learning environments for the future. Others, drawn to fashion and garment manufacturing, have developed proposals for school spirit wear or custom garments designed to meet precise peer requests. Additional projects have included innovative, user-informed products such as specialized coach belt bags, portable desk organizer caddies and compact roll-on perfume containers designed to mount onto phone cases. Each project reflects a thoughtful consideration of future needs and a commitment to illustrating how design can function meaningfully for others.
Many parents and community members may already see similar curiosity and forward-thinking in their children, both inside and outside the classroom. The Technological Design course is one of many opportunities at HTS that support this type of learning. From STEM Racing and VEX Robotics to Fashion Forward, students engage with technology in a wide variety of co-curricular experiences. While it is impossible to capture all of these opportunities in a single post, the work produced in this course offers a glimpse into the creativity, problem-solving and imagination being fostered within the school.
Contributed by Ms Irene Dongas, Technological Design Teacher