A celebration of tech and design excellence, the exhibition showcases a selection of outstanding major projects by HSC Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design students in NSW.
While it may be the first time some of these graduates have had their work displayed to the public, the creativity and ingenuity of the young problem solvers and designers is far from amateur.
NSW Education Standards Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul Martin said the standard of design will exceed expectations.
"It will be hard for the visiting public to understand that these works on display have been dreamt up and executed by teenagers.
"The projects are simply outstanding. They show deep and critical thinking. They show care and empathy for our environment and the people in it. They show expertise in design principles.
"They of course celebrate student talent, but they also proudly reflect the expertise and passion of teachers - who have harnessed their students, a real hunger and drive for innovation and design," Mr Martin said.
With some 12,000 students enrolled in at least one Technologies course in 2024, 1,599 were nominated by HSC markers and 55 were selected for showcase, a 38% increase on works displayed on the year before.
"More student works will be available to the public than ever before in 2025, thanks to the introduction of virtual projects, to care for projects that don't physically fit into the exhibition space," Mr Martin said.
"We are also proud to expand our digital offering this year to ensure more students outside of Sydney can access this impressive exhibition of student design.
A new Shape Learning Lab will also be unveiled in 2025 to give current students even greater access to projects and the development process. The Lab is an interactive dedicated space for current technology students looking to dive deeper into the ideation and design process.
"I encourage current students to head down to Shape and see what is possible by studying a technology course in the HSC.
"NSW is home to one of the strongest Technology curriculums in the world, that is being made only stronger under current reforms. I encourage more students to consider enrolling in the future focused subjects," Mr Martin said.
Shape will run until 12 April. See the full list of students selected, make a booking or find out more about Shape by visiting the NESA Showcase Hub.
