Careers start here: how transdisciplinary innovation at UTS is preparing students for the future of work

SYDNEY, April 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A novel degree from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is preparing students to meet the challenges of the future world of work.

Called the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (BCII), the course is offered via the award-winning UTS TD School, which offers a range of courses in transdisciplinary thinking and innovation.

The BCII can be paired with one of 25 professional degrees, equipping students with discipline-specific skills alongside expertise in creative thinking, problem solving and entrepreneurship that they can deploy across and between industries.

"I like that the degree really focuses on problem solving, instead of just learning about the theory," says Indonesian student Tina Himawan, who combined her BCII qualification with a Bachelor of Communication in Media Arts and Production.

"That's going to be useful, not just for me personally, but to help other people, especially in developing countries like Indonesia where there are quite a lot of complex problems."

In addition to tackling questions of creativity, complexity and innovation, BCII students engage extensively with industry to gain real-world context for their learning.

For Himawan, that meant working on projects for the City of Sydney and MasterCard and completing internships with Royal Australian Mint and Regional Development Australia (RDA).

Graduate Awkar Ruel, who paired his BCII with the Bachelor of Design in Architecture, tackled real-world problem scenarios from global innovators like Google, Accenture and PwC.

"BCII is one-of-a-kind when it comes to its practical component. [It] gave me the opportunity to work with some of the most talented people in the industry and gain an understanding of what lies beyond the front facade of creative companies and innovative solutions," Awkar says.

"I gained the ability to take a step back from a brief and examine it from multiple perspectives in order to understand its context and its influences on the network within which it stands."

"This framework has empowered me to thrive in my career and identify opportunities, patterns, and obstacles that the majority overlook."

Ruel has since gone on to work as a designer at top-tier Sydney architecture firm Grimshaw Architects where he applies his architectural and creative intelligence expertise to major projects, including the design of new Sydney metro stations.

Himawan, who graduated at the end of 2021, is currently working as a videographer while she plots her next move. She says the degree has equipped her for a vast range of career paths, including entrepreneurship opportunities that emerged during her degree.

"All the experience and skills that I've acquired during my four years of study also helped me to build that confidence, to explore and broaden my mind a little bit, instead of just going to a nine-to-five job," she says.

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