Industrial Technology Stage 6 Syllabus (2013 amended) — HSC written examination structure
The written HSC examination is exactly 40 marks with 5 minutes reading time and 90 minutes working time. Section I — Multiple choice — is 10 marks: Questions 1–10, one mark each. Section II — Short answer — is 15 marks: Questions 11–15, graduated in value and never more than 5 marks for an individual question. Section III — Extended response — is 15 marks: Question 16, normally split into about 5 marks for part (a) and 10 marks for part (b), and based on the common Industry Study. The paper uses Roman numeral section labels I, II and III. The six focus-area papers differ in Sections I and II; the Industry Study stem in Section III is answered with examples from the focus-area industry.
Past papers on this subject span more than one syllabus. Papers written under an older one still work as practice, but the modules they test have changed — the index labels every paper with the syllabus it was set under.
2015–2025 official HSC Timber Products and Furniture archive (descriptive grouping; not a claimed separate syllabus era) · 2015–2025
The modules, one by one
Each area below lists the concepts named in the syllabus, what the NESA exam asks of them, and the mistake that most often costs marks.
- HSC — Industry Study
- HSC — Major Project: Design, Management and Communication
- HSC — Major Project: Production
- HSC — Industry Related Manufacturing Technology — focus-area elective
Area 1 of 4
HSC — Industry Study
The Industry Study is common in structure but must be applied to the focus-area industry studied by the candidate. Its content includes structural considerations such as organisation, management, marketing, production efficiency, restructuring and quality control; technical considerations such as mechanisation, specialisation, mass production, automation and emerging technologies; environmental and sociological considerations including alternative resources, recycling, waste, pollution, sustainable development and rehabilitation; legislative requirements; location factors; personnel issues including industrial relations, equity and contracts; work health and safety; and historical developments in processes, materials and work practices.
What the syllabus lists under this area · 7 points
- Structural considerations
- Technical considerations
- Environmental and sociological considerations
- Legislative requirements
- Personnel issues
- Work health and safety
- Historical developments
What the exam asks
This content is the basis of Section III, the 15-mark extended response. Question 16 is normally divided into a shorter part (a) and a longer part (b), with the latter usually requiring supporting industry examples. Command words include Describe, Explain, Discuss, Analyse, Assess and Evaluate. Section III is common in its Industry Study focus, but the evidence must belong to the candidate's chosen focus-area industry.
Where marks go missing
Do not answer a common Industry Study prompt with a generic manufacturing paragraph. Identify the focus area, connect the industry factor to production or viability, and use relevant examples. Sections I and II are focus-area specific and cannot be answered accurately by borrowing another focus area's tools or processes.
Area 2 of 4
HSC — Major Project: Design, Management and Communication
The Major Project component covers research, idea generation, design development, sketching, prototyping, modelling, testing, production and working drawings, material and process selection, time and finance plans, quality and ongoing evaluation, ICT, WHS documentation and presentation in the related folio. Design principles, types of design, quality and influences on design are applied to the student's selected project. The project work connects design decisions to management and communication evidence rather than treating a finished object as the only product.
What the syllabus lists under this area · 3 points
- Design development
- Drawing and communication
- Management
What the exam asks
Major Project work is part of the broader HSC course assessment and is assessed separately from the 40-mark written paper. The written paper can test related knowledge through focus-area questions, but a student should not treat Section II as a substitute for the project's folio, drawings, plans, records or practical evidence.
Where marks go missing
A drawing or plan should communicate a decision, not merely decorate a folio. Explain why the material, process, dimension, sequence, cost or test was selected, and preserve evidence of evaluation and modification. Keep project-specific claims separate from the common Industry Study response.
Area 3 of 4
HSC — Major Project: Production
Major Project production requires construction that reflects quality, a range of skills and an appropriate degree of difficulty. Students link planning with production, use suitable materials, components, processes and technologies, demonstrate practical problem solving, follow WHS and maintain workshop equipment. Quality manufactured products are evaluated through characteristics of quality and quality-control principles. Where appropriate, outsourcing expertise can complement the student's practical skills, provided the decision and contribution are documented.
What the syllabus lists under this area · 2 points
- Quality and quality control
- Safe production
What the exam asks
Production is assessed through the Major Project requirements rather than forming a separate written-paper section. Written practice can rehearse quality, safe production, process selection and evaluation language, but it cannot replace the practical product, management records or folio evidence required by the course.
Where marks go missing
Do not confuse a visually polished product with demonstrated quality control. Show specifications, checks, adjustments, safe working practice and problem-solving evidence. A process decision should be justified by the material, equipment, outcome and constraints of the selected focus area.
Area 4 of 4
HSC — Industry Related Manufacturing Technology — focus-area elective
The focus-area elective covers material properties, tools, equipment, machinery, processes, new technologies, maintenance, environmental issues and WHS. Automotive Technologies addresses vehicle systems, diagnostics, repair, energy sources, emissions and statutory repair or modification requirements. Electronics Technologies addresses components, circuit symbols, circuit design and testing, printed circuit boards, soldering and power supplies. Graphics Technologies addresses drawing conventions, orthogonal and pictorial projection, site and working drawings, CAD and presentation. Metal and Engineering Technologies addresses ferrous and non-ferrous metals, heat treatment, machining, fabrication, joining, welding and finishing. Multimedia Technologies addresses text, vector and bitmap graphics, resolution, colour depth, file formats, audio sampling and compression, video, animation, authoring and publishing. Timber Products and Furniture Technologies addresses timber recovery and conversion, seasoning, manufactured boards, adhesives, fittings, joints, construction techniques, assembly and finishing.
What the syllabus lists under this area · 12 points
- Materials
- Joining and assembly
- Processes
- Finishing and surface treatment
- Tools and machinery
- New and emerging technologies
- Automotive Technologies
- Electronics Technologies
- Graphics Technologies
- Metal and Engineering Technologies
- Multimedia Technologies
- Timber Products and Furniture Technologies
What the exam asks
Sections I and II are entirely focus-area specific. Section I contains 10 multiple-choice questions; Section II contains 15 marks of short answers that may include calculations, a labelled sketch, diagram or focus-area process. The six focus-area papers share the written-paper structure but do not share the same tools, materials or processes. The links supplied for this page are the Timber Products and Furniture Technologies papers; students in another focus area should use the corresponding official NESA paper listed on the HSC exam-papers page.
Where marks go missing
Never present timber tools or joints as universal Industrial Technology content. Label the focus area in revision and practice, and select examples that belong to it. A generic response can be useful for a common safety principle, but the material, process and equipment example must match Automotive, Electronics, Graphics, Metal and Engineering, Multimedia or Timber Products and Furniture.
Common questions
How many marks is the Industrial Technology written paper?
The paper is 40 marks: Section I is 10 marks of multiple choice, Section II is 15 marks of short answer, and Section III is 15 marks of extended response. Reading time is 5 minutes and working time is 90 minutes.
Which focus areas are available?
The six focus areas are Automotive Technologies, Electronics Technologies, Graphics Technologies, Metal and Engineering Technologies, Multimedia Technologies, and Timber Products and Furniture Technologies.
Are all sections focus-area specific?
Sections I and II are focus-area specific. Section III is the common Industry Study, but its examples and evaluation must be applied to the focus-area industry studied by the candidate.
Does the written paper assess the Major Project?
The Major Project is assessed separately from the 40-mark written paper. The written paper can test related knowledge such as design, production, quality, safety and materials, but it does not replace the project's product, folio, plans or management evidence.
Which past papers are linked here?
The supplied official links are Timber Products and Furniture Technologies papers and marking guidelines. NESA's Industrial Technology examination page also lists the other focus-area papers; use the paper that matches your focus area for Sections I and II.
Are the practice questions official NESA questions?
No. The practice and exam material in this hub is original study material mapped to the verified NESA Industrial Technology structure. Official papers and marking guidelines are linked in the Past papers tab.