Finding your ikigai

Finding purpose through passion, mission, vocation, and profession.

Mastering core skills for future success

Unlock the power of design thinking to navigate future career challenges and drive innovation with purpose.

Developed in partnership with Inspired Success Australia

Developed by education and design thinking CEO, speaker and author Rashan Senanayake, delivered by QUT student ambassadors.

Workshop overview

Year level 7 to 10
Capacity 16-32 students. If you want to bring more students, email highschool.workshops@qut.edu.au
When School days: Monday to Friday
Duration Half day (or one hour addition to another half day workshop)
Where QUT Gardens Point, Science and Engineering Centre
Cost Free (late cancellation fees apply. See terms and conditions.)

Workshop details

Developed by Rashan Senanayake from Inspired Education Australia, this workshop is designed to help students explore their future careers and understand the critical role design thinking skills play in workforce readiness.

With 85% of career pathways in 2030 projected to require design thinking as a core skill, it's crucial to remember that ethics and values should always guide its application to create a positive impact and benefit both oneself and others.

Students will be introduced to the top eight global technologies that are shaping nearly every career path, while also learning essential skills for success. Through a career-mapping activity based on the principles of Ikigai and life and career design, students will discover how their interests and passions align with future career opportunities.

The Ikigai concept, originating from Okinawa, Japan, combines the ideas of "Iki" (life) and "Gai" (value or worth) and translates to "a reason for being." Helping students identify and articulate their ikigai, or purpose, serves as a powerful motivator, inspiring learning pathways that foster self-determined, lifelong learning. A sense of purpose equips students with the resilience and skills needed to thrive in an uncertain future.

Book this workshop

We’re now fully booked in terms 1 and 2, 2025. Bookings for workshops in terms 3 and 4 will be opening in term 2.

Curriculum links

21st century skills: the attributes and skills students need to prepare them for higher education, work and engagement in a complex and rapidly changing world.

  • critical thinking
    analytical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, reasoning, reflecting and evaluating, intellectual flexibility
  • creative thinking
    innovation, initiative and enterprise, curiosity and imagination, creativity, generating and applying new ideas, identifying alternatives, seeing or making new links
  • communication
    effective oral and written communication, using language, symbols and texts, communicating ideas effectively with diverse audiences
  • collaboration and teamwork
    relating to others, (interacting with others), recognising and using diverse perspectives, participating and contributing, community connections
  • personal and social skills
    adaptability/flexibility, management (self, career, time, planning and organising), character (resilience, mindfulness, open- and fair-mindedness, self-awareness), leadership, citizenship, cultural awareness, ethical (and moral) understanding
  • ICT skills
    operations and concepts, accessing and analysing information, being productive users of technology, digital citizenship (being safe, positive and responsible online

Contact us

If you have any questions, comments or feedback about the QUT High School Student Connections program, we'd love to hear from you.

3138 1801