St Michael’s Grammar School is proud to celebrate Design and Technology Technician, Adam Dix, who has been awarded the 2025 DATTA Vic Community Service Award for his outstanding contribution to student learning, innovation, and community engagement.
For more than 13 years, Adam has played an integral role in shaping the School’s Design and Technology (D&T) program, a space where creativity, problem-solving, and cutting-edge technology meet.
What inspires me is waiting for the next cool thinker to come along and show me an idea that’s never been done before.Adam Dix
Building futures through Design and Technology
Across Years 9–12, the Design and Technology program at St Michael’s equips students with the skills to turn creative ideas into tangible outcomes. In Year 9 Product Design and Technology, students take on real-world design challenges, from developing functional furniture to producing lighting or jewellery, while learning to apply computer-aided design (CAD) and advanced manufacturing tools like laser cutters, 3D printers and CNC machines.
At VCE level, students explore specialisations such as Product Design and Technologies (Fashion & Textiles or Resistant Materials) and Systems Engineering. These courses provide authentic pathways into careers in engineering, industrial design, fashion, architecture, and beyond — all grounded in sustainability, innovation, and ethical production practices.
Our students are often challenged to create sensory furniture for Neurodiversity Week or a product inspired by NAIDOC Week.
Whether designing ethical products or building integrated systems, students engage in hands-on learning that mirrors industry processes and develops essential skills in critical thinking, research, and evaluation.
A workshop that extends beyond the classroom
Adam’s award recognises not only his technical expertise but also his community spirit. Beyond supporting students and staff with design projects, Adam regularly lends his skills to broader School initiatives, including crafting ANZAC Day signage and Christmas displays or even repairing equipment and creating custom resources for classroom learning.
His dedication to maintaining a vibrant, functional workshop and ensuring every student can make the most of their time in the space reflects our School’s commitment to maximising the D&T offering.
I would never have thought that 20 years ago, I would be cutting European birch ply with a laser. Now that's where we are now, and that is absolutely outstanding on the school's behalf to have these machines being used in this manner to help the kids move forward.Adam Dix
Learn more
Adam’s recognition is a celebration of the dynamic learning happening every day in Design and Technology at St Michael’s, where students design for the future, guided by passionate educators and industry-standard tools.
Alongside Head of Design and Technology, Michael Slinger, a previous winner of DATTA Vic’s Foster Adem Award for Leadership in Technologies Education — we are incredibly proud of our dedicated Design and Technology staff and sector-leading resources and programs.
Discover more about our Design and Technology program in the St Michael’s Course Handbooks below.
Hear from Adam in action on Instagram: @stmichaelsgrammarschool.
