Custom Solutions for Corporate Partners | 12th Australian Space Forum

Makers Empire offers customised space-themed education programs for corporate partners, tailored to suit your individual goals.

Introducing Makers Empire

Founded in 2013 in Adelaide, South Australia, Makers Empire creates market-leading solutions for schools, teachers, students and families. Makers Empire’s products are backed by Macquarie University research, certified by Education Alliance Finland for pedagogical quality and recommended by Common Sense Education.

Makers Empire helps its community partners achieve their education objectives and deliver significant and measurable change both within their community and our community of 2.2 million students in 50 countries.

Makers Empire has partnered with education departments, trusts and foundations to deliver 3D technology to groups of 200+ schools in Australia, America and the Middle East. So we have the experience, skills and team to deliver a successful education program for you.

Helping You Meet Your Goals

Are you:

Wanting to deliver an education program aimed at primary and middle school students?
Wanting an evidence-based solution to increase students’ interest in STEM subjects and a possible STEM career?
Looking to increase awareness about your organisation?
Needing to be able to demonstrate the impact of your education program to your stakeholders?
Keen to help students develop important skills in critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and citizenship?
Eager to teach students how to identify and solve real-world problems and to encourage entrepreneurial behaviours?
Able to fund a custom learning program or the development of a custom challenge course?

Makers Empire Andy Thomas Space Foundation Schools Program-23

Examples of Community Partnerships

The Andy Thomas Space Foundation wanted to deliver education in awareness of space career opportunities to primary school students. So it partnered with Makers Empire on an Australia-first pilot program for primary schools to deliver this. This custom program includes delivery of our Learning by Design course, student projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and subject matter experts providing insights into their own careers in space and the exciting work their companies are doing. As a precursor to a planned national roll-out, the program will be trialled with nine South Australian schools. Learn more.

“These young South Australians are part of a generation that will help build our growing space industry and this program will inspire them to shoot for the stars,”

The Hon. John Gardner MP, Minister for Education

The Commissioner for Children and Young People was looking for a partner to help it deliver its annual Design Thinking Digital Challlenge to SA primary school children. So it partnered with Makers Empire in 2020 and 2021 to deliver the Space to Dream challenge to all South Australian primary schools. Children had to design a toy for a child their age who was moving to Mars. Learn more.

“Space to Dream is all about learning to be an effective and creative problem solver. Our future requires bold thinkers who know how to create out-of-the-box solutions so I can’t wait to see all of your amazing, beautiful, funny, sunny, inspiring, useful and ground-breaking Space to Dream designs!”

Helen Connolly, Commissioner for Children and Young People, SA

The Toyota Community Foundation was looking for a partner to help it deliver STEM learning opportunities to students in West Melbourne. So it partnered with Makers Empire to deliver the West Melbourne 3D Printing in Schools Project to eight primary schools. This project worked towards the goals of the National STEM School Education Strategy 2016-2026 by engaging students in exciting, challenging STEM learning connected to real-world experiences, helping teachers to develop approaches that enable students to combine STEM knowledge with critical, creative and design thinking, and building teacher capacity. To achieve project goals, teachers undertook our Learning by Design course and students worked on projects with a specific STEM focus. Learn more.

“At Toyota, we’re passionate about championing the next generation of STEM talent. We are proud to support Makers Empire and enjoyed seeing the STEM projects at the Showcase,”

Mike Rausa, Chairman of the Toyota Community Trust

GE and Polar were looking for a partner to help them deliver an ambitious global project delivering 3D technology and education to 600 schools. So Polar approached Makers Empire to help them deliver the education component of the GE Additive Program to younger students. In 2017 and 2018, the GE Additive Education Program awarded 3D printing packages to more than 600 primary and secondary schools in 30 countries who did not previously have access to 3D printing technology. Each package included 3D printers, access to the Polar Cloud and (STEAM) curriculum, 3D design tools and resources provided by Makers Empire. Learn more .

“Through our Additive Education Program, GE aims to help build a strong pipeline of additive manufacturing skills – starting from the classroom – so that the next generation are on the front foot to take on future manufacturing opportunities,”

Wouter Van Wersch, President and CEO of GE APAC

Suggested Stages in a Community Partnership

1. PRE-PROJECT

We meet with you so we understand:
– Your education goals and objectives
– The subject matter experts in your network that we can work with to develop and deliver an effective program for you
– Your community and how they currently engage with you
– Your proposed timeframes
We explain what we do and how we can work with you to help you achieve your goals
We create and share our proposed custom learning program and/or challenge course plan with you
You discuss the plan with your stakeholders and provide feedback to us.
Both parties sign the agreed contract

2. PROJECT DELIVERY

We commence building your custom learning program and/or challenge course
We test your learning program and/or challenge course
We create webinars, video tutorials and help articles to support teachers/students
Students complete pre- and post-project survey re: learning behaviours and attitudes (optional)
We work with your marketing team to effectively launch the partnership to your community and ours
We launch the learning program and/or challenge course and resources
Teachers and students work on and complete the custom learning program and/or challenge course

3. POST-PROJECT

We review usage data, assessment data and any user survey data
We prepare a report for you that includes
– What happened, what worked well, what could be improved and recommended actions
– User data – what students achieved during the program
– Optional survey information – the impact of the program on student learning behaviours and attitudes
Recommended forward plan
You share the report internally and discuss with your stakeholders
We meet to discuss and agree next steps

Awards, Certifications and Partners

Learn more about community partnerships with Makers Empire

Tell us a little more about your organisation and your mission. We can create a tailored plan to help you achieve your education and awareness goals, deliver widespread, systemic change and help create a generation of thinkers, creators and problem solvers.