Beneath the hustle and bustle of Perth’s CBD, a state-of-the-art woodworking workshop has emerged at St George’s Anglican Grammar School, a conversion of an underground car park that now houses the school’s inaugural Materials Design and Technology program.
Designed and fitted out from scratch over the summer holiday break thanks to the hard work, commitment and creative thinking of the newly appointed Coordinator of Materials Design and Technology, Mr Hiep Nguyen, alongside his technician, Mr Joss Timms, the transformation of what was originally car parking space has been nothing short of sensational.
‘It was definitely an exciting challenge,’ Mr Nguyen said. ‘We needed to establish storage, map workflows, meet a range of rigorous work health and safety requirements and figure out how to move tonnes of materials and machinery into a space that currently does not allow for truck access.’
‘The best choice of machinery needs was also daunting, knowing that the decisions we make will shape St George’s Anglican Grammar School students’ learning for years to come. But we made it, and it is brilliant!’
The workshop opened at the start of the 2026 with the introduction of Materials Design and Technology reflecting a clear commitment to expanding the range of different subject pathways and investing in specialist facilities within a vertical school in the heart of the city. The Food and Technology centre opened its doors last year to students.
Mr Nguyen’s pathway into teaching has been far from linear and the school is indeed blessed to have attracted the skills of such a progressive and passionate educator. After beginning degrees in Law and Psychology at the University of Queensland, Mr Nguyen discovered his calling into education during his first teaching practicum while completing a double degree in Behavioural Studies and Education.
Returning to AngliSchools, having previously spent time teaching at John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, Mr Nguyen’s and Mr Timms’ vision is a simple yet powerful one: To create a space where students develop patience, empathy and pride in purposeful design – and where, just like the school tagline, everyone succeeds and everyone matters.
Currently open to students across Years 7 to 10 with APEx Woodwork and Mechatronics on the horizon, the program nurtures creativity, design thinking and entrepreneurial capabilities. This year students will showcase their completed projects at the school’s annual creative arts exhibition held within the city towards the end of the year.
