The Balmoral State High School Boeing Excellence Program is a unique and successful partnership between Boeing Defence Australia and the students of Balmoral High. The program promotes meaningful and exciting learning experiences for students, driven by the students themselves. The Boeing Excellence Program aims to teach students to work efficiently and independently in a team, while providing the opportunity to experience a real-life work environment.
Launched in 2004, this has become a leading program within the school, with a maximum of 15 students ranging from Year 7 to 12. Students of all ages and skill sets, from science to humanities and the Arts, are encouraged to apply, as the team values different perspectives and ideas.
Membership of the Boeing Enterprise Team is a highly valued within the school. It allows students to develop the time management and teamwork skills required for their high school journeys and beyond. For older students in Years 11 and 12, the team is about focusing on leadership skills - ensuring everyone feels included in the project. Older students have also have the opportunity to make connections with the business community, which can and has led to career futures.
All students are expected to demonstrate commitment to the program and their role within the team. Acceptance in the program, means students agree to balance their schoolwork with their team tasks.
Students meet weekly to discuss projects, thoughts and topics. Excursions are also a focus of the Boeing program giving students the opportunity to gain real world work experience. Activities and interesting projects, and even future internships, are potential outcomes of membership of this program.
Past student opportunities:
- Visit Virgin Australia training Centre (Brisbane Airport)
- Regularly visit Boeing Defence Australia Headquarters, where projects are presented to head executives of Boeing in a highly formal setting
- Visit RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre to look around and observe the history of the Royal Australian Air Force
- Use flight simulators
Past projects include:
- Production of an employee handbook for the staff at Boeing's Williamtown Base in NSW
- Design of a 'survival kit' for Boeing employees on exchange from the United States
- Design of intra-net website for Boeing's Environmental Awareness Program
- Development of destination guides and in-service CD's for staff working in Tel Aviv, Seoul, and UAE
- Organization of NAIDOC week celebrations at Boeing Headquarters
- Design and creation of a Boeing app (including a coded and complete game)
- Creation of a Website for the Boeing Excellence Program
- Production of a data base to track Unmanned Aircraft Systems
- Design and implement activities incorporating elements of aerospace for use in primary classrooms