policy & reform
campusreview.com.au
Bridging the gap
It’s time to stop thinking in silos and
ignoring the practical skills gap.
By Carolynne Bourne
I
n days long ago in our home in the caves,
we created objects and devices, and then
constructed places to live, work, worship
and play in. An object hewn out of bone or
stone could equally be a technology that
could harm us, or a design that could be
harnessed to advance our lives.
It is not technology that provides
solutions; it is the human mind that
identifies the problem then generates one
or more solutions. It is the ways in which
humans use that solution that in the end
determine whether it is for the betterment
of humankind or its detriment, even to
its demise.
As one human is inspired and has an
idea, others in the present and from the
past provide the know-how of making it
– the selection of the stone, the flaking
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technique, the twine to bind to the timber
handle, the glue sourced from tree gum
to become an axe. No one occupation is
more important than another.
Being human means we identify what we
need, want and desire to meet our sense of
identity, self-concept, lifestyle preferences,
priorities and choices: a safer, faster car;
a potato peeler that peels; a comfy sofa;
undies that don’t ride up; an IT service that
doesn’t crash.
Designers and creatives are inspired to
create ideas; engineers turn these ideas
into technology and machines. Each works
in their occupational silo, in a mindset that
they are “the one” with “the” solution.
In the scenario of “I can do it myself”,
the “I” is a singular occupation (that is, a
mechanical engineer, an industrial designer,
an architect).
THE ONE BRAIN APPROACH
One brain thinks within its own singular
capacity generated through values,
personal attributes, qualifications and
experiences.
One person may work alone or in a
collective with others working in the same
occupation. In this scenario, failures may
arise where the attitude is “I am an engineer,
a designer, a scientist … The idea is mine
and I know what to do”.
In the collective, there is ‘group think’ –
common experiences, common ways of
thinking and working, common education
and so forth.
Here problems abound – designs taken
to the manufacturer or builder founder.
THE MULTIPLE BRAINS APPROACH
It is prudent to purposefully source and
work with those who have expertise
in different disciplines. This draws
occupations together to get the best
know-how for each project. In adding
other minds, other experiences, other
qualifications and different backgrounds,
problems can be solved together as
they arise.
These differences encompass age,
gender, religion and culture, not to mention
other occupations such as archaeologist,