In collaboration with the Banyule City Council, Heidelberg West Business Park, NORTH Link and Melbourne’s North Advanced Manufacturing Group, the Movers and Makers Exchange was held on 11 September 2024 at Innofocus Photonics Technology, Heidelberg West.

Frank Yao, Managing Director and CEO, Innofocus Photonics Technology provided an insight into how his company is dedicated to the development of intelligent laser nanofabrication equipment and holographic imaging equipment, enabling manufacturing of advanced photonic devices and the development of new nanostructured materials, all of which aim to drive progress into the era of photonic nanomanufacturing.

Jeff Jones, Manager, Digital Innovation Hub, La Trobe University

The Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) is an integrated industry, research, and teaching hub to support new and existing enterprises in the growth and transformation of their businesses by accessing the digital skills, capabilities and technologies of La Trobe researchers, students, and partners.

The DIH is a hub for collaboration where technology, experts and companies can ideate, conceptualise, design and prototype elements of their digital transformations.

Brian O’Meara, Manager Industry Initiatives, Melbourne Polytechnic

Melbourne Polytechnic will be home to two new Skills Labs, part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to advancing the clean economy workforce. Building on key strengths in sustainability and clean economy workforce training, Melbourne Polytechnic will lead the development of the:

• Clean Economy Skills Lab for Residential Building and Construction (funded by the Victorian Skills Authority) and;
• Circular Design and Manufacturing Skills Lab (funded by Office of TAFE Coordination and Delivery).

These Skills Labs, address skills gaps and foster the development of innovative educational approaches in response to the findings of the Macklin Review (2020). The review emphasised the importance of co-design processes involving industry, universities, learners, the TAFE Network and unions to effectively identify and meet the skills required for a growing economy.

Their Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence (AMCOE) will supply the future workforce and upskill existing workers to support innovation and the increasingly technology-driven, value-added manufacturing sector in Melbourne’s north. Melbourne Polytechnic has commenced training of the first intake of AMCOE students enrolled in the modernised Certificate III in Engineering – Mechanical Trade who will access hand-on learning in computer-aided design, CNC machines and high-resolution 3D printers.

The updated curriculum has been informed by their industry partners to ensure their graduates are ready to take on the real-world challenges and opportunities in advanced manufacturing.