Emergency housing following natural disasters, city towers or mining on the moon in response to global warming. These were just a few of the creative solutions the Australian Public Service (APS) graduates pitched in response to problems resulting from major global trends at the 2024 Grad Hackathon.
At the first live event for this year’s APS Graduate Event Series, 700 graduates came together from across the service to test out their foresight literacy. The APS recruits were tasked with solving emerging policy and public service challenges associated with megatrends such as technology, population shifts and environmental concerns.
Working in cross-agency groups, they worked collaboratively through a range of engaging activities to rapidly identify solutions to the megatrend challenges presented by Stefan Hajkowicz, Chief Research Consultant at CSIRO and Will Hartigan, Director of the Policy Fit for the Future team at Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. This culminated in groups pitching their ideas to their peers and a panel of judges.
Some of the finalists’ pitches included emergency housing following natural disasters, dealing with rising insurance costs and the impact on home ownership affordability, exploring whether building inland city towers was the answer to global warming and even mining on the moon.
A huge shout out to the CSIRO and PM&C for their subject matter expertise, and well done to all of the winners and everyone who participated on the day.
APS Reform is enhancing the government’s capability to forecast future scenarios and inform strategic decisions like the Long Term Insights Briefings. As we embrace new technology, the value of unique human skills such as teamwork, empathy and collaboration will increase. For more information on how the government is strengthening the capability of the APS, visit the APS reform website.
The Graduate Development Program is specifically designed for Graduates across the APS. It develops the foundational skills, behaviours, mindsets and networks Graduates need to make a significant contribution in the APS. To find out more, visit the Graduate Development Program website.