Federation Tech club is building skills, connections and community for students.
From rebuilding to reimagining
David’s involvement began at a time when student clubs were still recovering from the impact of the pandemic.
“When I started it was right after the pandemic, so there wasn’t much of the club life I’d heard about from older students.” he said. “This included the IT Society at the time which was in bad shape after its heyday as the ‘IT Crowd’ in around 2018.”
Determined to help rebuild the student club scene, David joined forces with others to create something new.
“I then heard a Masters student was looking to start a new club, the ‘Coding Club’ so I hopped on a call with him and within a year we were able to merge the former IT Society and the Coding Club into what’s now known as FedTech.”
Since then, the club has grown significantly, expanding from coding workshops into a mix of technical and social activities.
“We’ve expanded from academic workshops teaching code to social events like our Thursday night boardgame/DnD nights which we host on campus,” he said.
Creating memorable experiences
Clubs offer opportunities to take part in exciting events and challenges. One highlight for the club was taking part in GovHack, a national innovation challenge.
“In 2024 our group participated in GovHack… where teams have 46 hours to come up with a proof of concept using Government data,” David said. “We ended up receiving an honourable mention in the ‘Transport’ category. Experiences like this allow students to apply their learning in real-world situations and work as part of a team."
Real-world impact and career opportunities
Getting involved in clubs can open doors professionally. David’s experience in the club has already translated into career success.
“I just did an interview for a large international IT company last week and the employer took great interest in my club activities,” he said. “He asked me a lot on how I managed to turn the club around from basically 0 events to nearly 30 a year.”
From leadership to problem-solving, the experience gave him real examples to draw on.
“I’ve gained so much experience that the interview became a breeze as I was able to pull multiple examples from my hat. I immediately got the job.”
Getting involved on campus
For students who may feel unsure about joining or starting a new club, David’s advice is simple: “Join! A club only gets stronger when more people are involved. The more people there are, the more fun it is for everyone!"
"Student Engagement Office have really streamlined the whole process, so I suggest if you want to start a club, just ask!”
Interested in joining Federation Tech or exploring other clubs?
Visit the Student Clubs page to find a club or learn how to start one.