A new elective was introduced this year for Year 9 and 10 students at MCCC. Under the supervision of Mrs Collum, Mr Weller and Mr Craig, Ignite is a project-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) program based around CO2 powered cars. Students work in groups of three and form a racing team. There are six teams currently participating in the Ignite program in 2025.

One of the key aspects of ignite is the ability to work together and collaborate. Team members each carry out specific roles in their team – team manager/business manager, graphic designer/trade display manager, engineer/manufacturer – and must work together to meet the competition requirements. To participate in the end-of-year competition, teams are required to design, manufacture and test their cars as they race down a 20-metre track. They will also need to build a trade display promoting their team, design team uniforms, gain sponsorship from local businesses, adopt a project management approach, budget, create engineering and enterprise portfolios and much, much more! On the day of competition, a panel of judges will assess each element to discover which team will be crowned inaugural Ignite champions.

There are many benefits for students involved in Ignite. They develop real-world skills in areas such as CAD software, 3D printing, CNC machining, graphic design, business management and project management. The team must work together with everyone fulfilling their designated roles in order to achieve success, as well as make industry connections with local businesses.

Ignite is open to all students in Years 9 and 10 as an elective. Students will need to be able to work independently, be self-motivated and work as part of a team. It is beneficial if students organise their team of three prior to selecting Ignite as an elective.