Schools urged to join design competition

Schools in Christchurch were urged to join the technology, visual arts and design competition for young designers today by the Minister for Economic Development Jim Anderton.

Speaking at the Christchurch Boys High School to teachers and principals involved in teaching new technology, design and creativity he said, “it is crucial that we get more New Zealanders to see the value of creativity and design in order to create a vibrant economic future. We must unleash the potential of New Zealand design and raise our profile as a creative nation.

“Too few businesses yet perceive the value of incorporating design throughout the production process. It is time to change these perceptions because design can drive our production up the value chain and help to achieve the jobs and incomes to which New Zealanders aspire.

“It is not our natural resources that make us more prosperous and improve our lifestyles. It is what we do with the things we have – the ideas we come up with to transform our resources. The better our ideas, the better our standard of living.

“Design, technology, visual arts and other forms of creativity are all about the application of ideas, as well as the incorporation of creativity and value into our production. That is why promoting design and technology at high school is urgently needed to lift our economic growth for the future.

“Christchurch schools have been under-represented in the New Zealand wide design awards presented in Christchurch each year by the Young Designer Trust, and I hope this year will be different," Jim Anderton said.

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