Over 100 passionate educators from across regional Queensland will converge on Central Queensland University’s Bundaberg campus tomorrow for the inaugural Future of Education Summit Bundaberg.
This full-day event has been designed to empower teachers, connect communities, and explore how education can better prepare students for the future of work.
Hosted by BOP Industries, in partnership with Queensland Computers, CQUniversity, and a network of regional and national sponsors, the summit brings together 115 primary and secondary school teachers, principals, university staff, and industry leaders from communities including Hervey Bay, Rockhampton, Proserpine, Kingaroy, Gladstone, Maryborough and Billoela.
CEO of BOP Industries and event emcee Scott Millar said the summit had been designed by and for regional educators.
“It’s about recognising the unique opportunities and challenges we face in regional education and equipping educators with innovative tools to better engage students, scale their impact, and connect with industry,” Scott said.
The event reflects growing national momentum around preparing students for future careers in a rapidly evolving workforce.
According to the Foundation for Young Australians’ ‘New Work Order Report’, today’s students will have 17 jobs across five industries over their lifetime — making enterprise, digital fluency, and human skills more essential than ever.
Director of Queensland Computers Geoff Augutis explained that as technology continued to drive unprecedented change, education became the cornerstone for innovation and growth.
“This partnership highlights the vital role of community-driven efforts in supporting regional development and ensuring no one is left behind,” Geoff said.
“By investing in education today, we empower future generations to turn challenges into opportunities and dreams into achievements.”
A showcase of innovative educators in the region
The Bundaberg summit will not only showcase national insights, but also the strengths and innovations already thriving in regional Queensland.
Deputy Principal at Urangan State High School Nicole Amey was one of the driving forces behind the event.
“The Future of Education Summit is a showcase of innovative educators in the region,” Nicole said.
“It brings to focus the quality education provided to our young people as well as the opportunity to collaborate in workshops and roundtable discussions with many from around the state.”
Associate Vice-President at CQUniversity Luke Sinclair also emphasised the local impact.
“By hosting this event in a regional setting like Bundaberg and at CQUniversity, it provides an excellent opportunity for educators and organisations connected to education to showcase excellent work they’re doing as well as innovative solutions to benefit all of the region,” Luke said.
“Equally it provides a fantastic opportunity for representatives to network and create connections which can promote progress and further innovation.”
The Future of Education Summit will celebrate the ingenuity, resilience and future focus of regional Queensland educators, and offer an important reminder that geography should never be a barrier to opportunity.
“We want every student to know that they can build world-class skills and careers from wherever they are, as long as they’ve got a device, an internet connection, and a strong network of support,” said Scott.
Summit sponsors include: Queensland Computers, Alpha HPA, ReadCloud, Lenovo, Pluton, Australian Computer Society, Kepnock State High School, BOP Industries, and Central Queensland University.
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