A campaign encouraging young people to think twice before driving under the influence has taken top honours at this year's Western Sydney Health Hackathon.

Created by a team of students from Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School, "Think Clear, Drive Safe" was judged the top pitch after two days of brainstorming, mentoring and presenting ideas to a panel of health and education industry experts.

The annual hackathon is an intensive collaborative event where teams work together to develop practical solutions to health issues affecting their generation while exploring careers in the sector.

It is delivered by the NSW Department of Education's Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) program and the Prevention Education and Research Unit (PERU) at the Western Sydney Local Health District.

This year, thirty-three Year 10 students from Arthur Phillip High School, Blacktown Girls High School, Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School, Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School and Rooty Hill High School, developed health promotion campaigns focusing on road safety, vaping, anxiety, social media addiction and energy drink consumption.

Students also took part in speed networking sessions with professionals from nursing, physiotherapy, psychology, radiation oncology, respiratory and sleep medicine, gaining firsthand insight into the diverse careers available across the health sector.

"There are so many jobs and careers in health, not just hands-on, but in the background and behind the scenes as well," one student said.

RIEP Senior Project Officer, Jared Wilson, said connecting students directly with health professionals was an important step in the career planning process.

"The speed networking sessions allow students to ask health professionals about their career journeys, the skills they need and what they enjoy most about their work, helping them make informed decisions about their own futures," Mr Wilson said.

PERU Project Manager, Kym Rizzo Liu, said the hackathon placed students at the centre of identifying and addressing health issues important to them.

"The students get to identify the health issue that matters to them, work through why it is important, who they want to target and then develop a campaign or initiative with support from mentors," Ms Rizzo Liu said.

PERU Director, Professor Smita Shah OAM, said the initiative demonstrated the value of bringing health and education sectors together.

"Young people understand the challenges facing their generation better than anyone,” Professor Shah said.

“The Health Hackathon gives them the opportunity to be heard, think creatively and develop practical solutions that can improve health and wellbeing in their communities”

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan, said the Health Hackathon helped students develop the skills employers value while introducing them to the breadth of careers available across the health sector.

"Preparing young people for the workforce starts with giving them opportunities to explore industries, solve problems and connect with employers while they're still at school," Mr Whan said.

“The Regional Industry Education Partnerships program creates meaningful connections between students and industry, helping build the skilled workforce NSW needs for the future."

The impact of this year’s hackathon extended well beyond the event, with 93 per cent of students reporting it helped them decide they wanted a career in health, while 86 per cent said it helped inform their school subject choices.

With the challenge of developing and pitching their ideas now complete, the next adventure for the 33 students will be working with their schools and communities to bring their ideas to life over the months ahead.

For many participants, those campaigns may also mark the first step towards a future career in one of Australia's largest and fastest-growing employment sectors.