Social Circles VR was originally just a way for my team and I to sink our teeth into something a little closer to our hearts than the project options presented by our university. We entered the iAwards as a means of getting our project, and ourselves, some exposure. Our project supervisors shared the iAwards experiences of previous ECU students, and it sounded like too good an opportunity to pass up!
Taking part in the iAwards was an amazing experience and a great way to get a taste of the current innovations in Australia. After receiving a National Merit Award in Melbourne, we were given the chance to continue on to Guangzhou to take part in the APICTA Awards – and again, this experience helped us gain great exposure and network with industry professionals.
The iAwards really helped us develop our public speaking and communication skills. Already being quite confident public speakers, it was a much different experience being put in front of a panel of judges and essentially, trying to ‘sell’ your idea. This kind of experience will definitely go a long way in the industry and we have to thank the iAwards for giving us the chance to deliver our pitch.
The biggest reason I would recommend entering the iAwards as a student, is the chance to promote yourself and the work that you have done. It is a great chance to meet industry professionals and network before you begin your own journey as a professional.
We would like to thank everyone involved in the iAwards. We would also like to thank the Edith Cowan University – specifically, our project supervisors, Martin Masek and Peng Lam, for their support throughout the entire process!
Over the course of the next few months, we will be looking at developing the project further to cover more life skills for students with special needs and ultimately, getting it used in even more classrooms throughout WA.
Anyone looking for more information about Social Circles VR can contact Jarryd Wimbridge and make sure to take a look at this short story by Seven News.