Student TechCrew enables students to be their school’s own IT support, arming them with access to technology skills and training for future tech jobs, while also providing the school a valuable resource at no additional cost. The Cathedral College students have completed the first year of the program.

At the end of the program, the students train the next ‘class’ of Student TechCrew participants and help them obtain their Dell TechDirect Certification, an industry qualification that IT professionals use to manage their devices, allowing the program to further scale.

Dell Technologies has successfully run this initiative around the globe, and The Cathedral College is one of the first Australian schools to participate.

The initiative is designed to promote future career skills and learning through Dell’s industry leading technical certification program and practical, hands-on experience as students help their peers and school staff members with technology issues.

Three local schools have participated in the program over the past year, with another six signed up to take part in 2022. The schools, which are located across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, will provide their students with the career-readiness skills and certifications to help them thrive in the IT sector after leaving school.

We’ve provided a summary of the key points, as well as some quotes from various spokespeople below.

Empowering Australia and New Zealand’s Future Leaders

Following the impressive results across North America, Dell Technologies has begun the rollout of the program across ANZ.

This year, six new schools across Australia and New Zealand will participate in the initial teacher training program to set up their individual school Dell Student TechCrews. This follows in the successful footsteps of the inaugural ANZ Student TechCrew school, The Cathedral College in Rockhampton, Central Queensland.

Principal of the Catholic co-educational Boarding College Rob Alexander said to be chosen by global leaders Dell Technologies to be the first school in Australia to deliver its Student TechCrew program is a great honour. “We’re thrilled as this will give our students from a broad range of backgrounds a leading-edge advantage they can share with their peers.”

“Our Dell Student TechCrew have the opportunity to drive a world class program gaining industry qualifications that will equip them with the skills they need to flourish in the IT industry whilst assisting their peers with IT support,” he said.

Will, a student at The Cathedral College, said the highlight of the program is the career pathways it breaks open for students. “The qualifications we receive give us a clear advantage in the STEM field for study and work beyond school. To see passionate people through the virtual field studies who love their work in IT makes this career very appealing and opens your eyes to what may be possible.”

“The Dell Student TechCrew program has given me a tremendous sense of empowerment and independence that I don’t need to rely on others,” says Maridon, a Year 12 student and the only female of the program encourages other girls to join.

“Technology is our present and future. To know that I am able to work with technology and have an understanding of it through the qualifications the Dell Student TechCrew program gives me is invaluable for my future.”

Aaron Nunn, ICT Director at The Cathedral College, said to be the first school outside of North America to join the Student TechCrew program is a privilege and a wonderful opportunity for the school community.

“From the industry qualifications, to the hands on practical, to the valuable soft skills and insights, our students have enthusiastically embraced the program and are eager to broaden their future career pathways,” he said.

The program features a ‘train the trainer’ model, where Dell Technologies train educators or non-profit partners on how to deliver the TechDirect certification which has been adapted to meet the needs of high school students.

Using the Conrad Design Method developed by the Conrad Foundation, a non-profit organisation and Dell Technologies strategic giving partner, the program equips students with future career skills such a problem solving, entrepreneurism and innovative thinking. Students are also invited to participate in the Conrad Challenge, where teams compete to develop innovation solutions to global challenges. 

Based on feedback from the initial pilot program, from April this year, TechCrew has introduced on-demand training for the schools and a live monthly Q&A session for teachers. In June, step-by-step lesson plans will be made available for the participating schools.

Angela Fox, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Dell Technologies ANZ, says it’s only a matter of time before programs like Student TechCrew become widespread. “When you reflect on the skills shortage facing the technology industry, as well as the hybrid learning education models that have become more pervasive, programs like this play a pivotal role in equipping students with the tools they need for the future. These student-led helpdesks give these young people an opportunity to gain insights and experience in our industry. It empowers them to be comfortable around technology, inspiring them to study IT at a tertiary level that ultimately nurtures the next generation of IT professionals.”

The Importance of Dell Student TechCrew

It’s anticipated that a global tech shortage of 4.3 million will arrive by 2030. Technology is at the core of innovation, so in order for us to progress as a society, we need to ensure that we’re helping the next generation of leaders and workers understand the intricacies of the IT sector.

In 2015, when the increasing presence of technology in schools began outpacing the IT resources available to service the devices, Kim Boutwell, who worked for a school district in Texas, came up with a brilliant idea – enabling students to become their own IT support.

A few years later, when Boutwell began working at Dell Technologies, she brought her program forward, and together with Dell’s industry leading IT certification and scale, they were able to deliver TechCrew to schools across the United States.

Litzy Whiffin, a former student at Colleyville ISD, Texas in the U.S. says Student TechCrew has had a profound impact on her career goals.

“Before the Dell Student TechCrew program, I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to go to college. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to pursue,” she says. “I had the idea of IT, but I wasn’t quite sure and wasn’t ready yet. Now, I know for sure that I want to go to college and pursue a career in IT.”