Officeworks Pinpoint magazine OFW11016 Pin Point_Issue26 16Oct17 FINAL LR | Page 26

Coding Kids learn with Aaron Storey (Highett)
How long have you been working at
Officeworks? Six years.
Are you studying? Yes, I study Information
Technology at RMIT University.
How do you help make bigger things
happen at Officeworks? Alongside our
awesome supportive team and leadership
at our store, I try to ensure every customer
can achieve their goals through the
products we have on offer, and to develop
a positive customer relationship.
What do you enjoy about teaching the
coding classes? I enjoy many things in
teaching these classes, but the thing I most
enjoy is watching the kids so seamlessly
learn and advance on their own.
Once you introduce the basic idea, they
fly right ahead!
Why do you think teaching kids coding
is important? With our lives becoming
more and more digital every day, knowing
how to code will give kids today a huge
advantage for their future.
How do parents and customers react to
our coding classes? Many customers who
walk past are very curious, sometimes they
ask if they can join in! I think the parents
however really enjoy seeing their kids learn
something productive in a very hands-on
tangible setting.
What futuristic technology do you hope
exists in 50 years time? Super fast travel
between countries and continents.
What is the number one item on your
bucket list? Take a tour through the
Googleplex HQ in California.
STEM support for local kindergarten
The team at Officeworks Marion (SA) have
been donating different items over the last six
months, to help the local students at Mitchell
Park Kindergarten with their STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
Project.
In line with our focus on education, Mitchell
Park Kindergarten director, Peta Paynter, said
the kindergarten has a particular focus on
teaching “curiosity, cooperation, confidence,
enthusiasm, persistence and imagination.”
Old mobile phone dummies were donated for
the kids to play with and the triangle corners
(from MacBook packaging) were a huge hit
for construction activities.
The kindergarten recently held an open day,
where one of our Team Members, Katrina
26
Wilford, participated by handing out Ollie
colouring in books. Through this relationship,
the team have been able to support local
students through their learning journey.