While his peers are celebrating the successful completion of high school, Year 12 Unity College student Jordan Josic travelled from Australia to Silicon Valley, looking to network and find inspiration for his future in tech.
A foundation member of the Silicon Coast tech and innovation community, Josic has been actively involved in building several tech projects during high school; including Goodpark, Estress and AppyYouth. Josic said working on the projects alongside his studies developed his appreciation of tech and ignited a passion to pursue a career in computer science.
Jordan has participated in many programs sponsored by RDA Sunshine Coast, which all aimed to promote entrepreneurship on the Sunshine Coast.
Estress, a mobile application developed by Josic and his Unity College peers John Berriman and Ellen Massey, won the Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards in 2016.
After taking out the inaugural competition, which fosters innovation and entrepreneurship on the Sunshine Coast, Josic said it was a life-changing experience.
“It was very exciting to win, it was such a great opportunity for us to work with business mentors and people in the area of technology. It gave us a chance to show our peers that anything is possible and show that even at our age we can come up with a great idea for a business,” he said.
In 2015, Josic also took first prize in Sunshine Coast Hackfest alongside local Sean Bannister, with an app aimed at helping motorists find a suitable car park.
An avid supporter of the Sunshine Coast’s entrepreneurial spirit, Josic is a regular attendee and volunteer at Sunshine Coast Startup Weekend, CoderDojo, Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards, and Hackfest.
Eager to spend a week immersed in the energy of Silicon Valley, Josic said he was looking at ways he could bring more of the startup culture to the Sunshine Coast.
“I want to learn as much as I can while being there, meeting with local entrepreneurs and startups, visiting tech hubs, and seeing the headquarters of the world’s biggest tech companies,” he said.
“My primary goal is to soak up the startup culture and transplant it back here on the Sunshine Coast, to grow and improve our community even further.”
Josic is graduating from Unity College Caloundra in November and hopes to pursue studies in computer science.
RDA Sunshine Coast is happy to see such energising spirit from Jordan, and we’re excited to watch him in his future endeavours.