Knox Grammar School is an independent Uniting Church day and boarding school for boys and girls that is located in Wahroonga, Sydney. I worked for Knox as the Master in Charge of the Tech Crew program.
Program
As a student at Knox Grammar School I sought two things: a group where I belonged and a place to expend my creative energy. With the support of the School, four other students, and my own personal driving force, a community was born: the Knox Tech Crew.
The Knox Tech Crew is a close-knit group of boys who come together weekly to share their love for technology, learn from and lead each other, and use their common interest to assist the School in incredible ways.
I led this initiative throughout my schooling with oversight from our AV Specialist (Ben Caswell). In 2014 I graduated from Knox and was then employed as the Master in Charge of Tech Crew to continue to grow and develop the program through to 2017.
In this time, we grew the community from five students to over 50, with another 150 boys on a waiting list – a pleasant anomaly in a traditionally sport-focused private school.
Growth
The Tech Crew program fosters the next generation of audio-visual and integrated experience professionals by establishing and supporting AV tech crews in secondary education institutions.
Because of this refined mission, the Knox Tech Crew received attention and sponsorship from the international audio-visual body, AVIXA (formerly Infocomm). AVIXA recognises the program’s ability to forge a sustainable future for the AV industry, ensuring there is an ample, well-trained workforce – a future that is at risk without intervention from programs like this.
This attention provided the opportunity to present at different AV events, including the Infocomm Conference in Orlando USA (June 2017), and various local events including Integrate Expo (Melbourne 2017, Sydney 2018) and the MIDWICH Partner Summit (Gold Coast, 2018).
AVIXA Foundation now works with secondary and tertiary schools interested in implementing or further developing their own Tech Crew, based on the model I developed at Knox. Participation in Tech Crew is a proven method of empowering young adults to deepen their passions, learn new skills, and discover career pathways formerly unfamiliar to them.
Many of the original Knox Crew members now work in technology and management careers. They, like myself, remain active leaders and mentors for current and future Tech Crews.
Feedback
“I can’t thank you enough for your work, your help, your laughter and your absolutely nailed on professionalism. I simply couldn’t do what I do at Knox without the Tech Crew.
When I say (as I constantly do) that you have the best Tech Crew around I am neither exaggerating or just being kind. It is true.
Words are inadequate to express what I want to say but what you achieve is simply extraordinary. I’ve seen pro crews out in the real world who would be lucky to have half the skill, expertise, work ethic and all round competence of the Knox Tech Crew.
People I work with who come in to Knox like me are amazed at how unbelievably good your boys are. I genuinely hold you all in the highest regard.”
Bob Wheatley
Stolen Planet Productions / Independent Audio Contractor at Knox
