Industrial Technology and Design
At James Nash, the Industrial Technology and Design (ITD) department is a leader in innovation and excellence. Widely recognised for its high-quality programs and progressive approach to teaching technology, ITD empowers students to be forward-thinking creators, makers, and problem-solvers in a rapidly evolving world.
Rooted in the QCAA Technologies curriculum, our programs focus on real-world design challenges. Students develop their capacity for innovative and critical thinking through hands-on projects that explore human-centred design, sustainability, engineering principles, and production systems. They learn to identify needs and opportunities, conduct research, analyse data, generate and evaluate ideas, and apply advanced skills in materials and technologies to bring their ideas to life.
ITD subjects promote creativity, collaboration, and technical fluency. Students engage in the complete design process—from exploring stakeholder needs to prototyping and evaluating their final products—building essential skills that prepare them for further education, training, and employment in a range of industries.
We offer two distinct pathways to support student aspirations:
University Pathway – Designed for students aiming to pursue careers in engineering, architecture, product design or industrial design through university study.
Work Pathway – Ideal for students who are interested in entering trade-based careers such as construction, manufacturing, or metal fabrication, with practical skills development leading to apprenticeships or further vocational training.
Years 7–9 introduce students to three core focus areas:
Technologies and Materials Specialisations
The Design Process
Engineering Principles
These foundational experiences allow students to safely explore tools, processes, and design thinking through engaging and relevant project work.
In Year 10, students deepen their learning in each strand, refining their technical and creative skills in preparation for Senior Studies. This year is designed as a bridge to QCAA General and Applied subjects in Years 11 and 12, helping students make informed choices about future pathways.
Senior students can choose from the following subjects in ITD:
General (university pathway)
Applied (work pathway)