Regional Economies

Leadership: Finding the common ground!

Industry and Education partnerships continue to grow! The Principal of Broadford Secondary College, Mr. Jim Alsop [right] and Principal of Broadford Primary School, Mr. Tony Gooden [left], teamed up to host the Chief Strategy Officer for Transfield Services, Mr. Lee de Vryer [centre] as part of the national "Principal for Day" programme today in Broadford. Lee de Vryer is the Chief Strategy Officer for Transfield Services [ASX:TSE] and has more than 15 years strategy and management experience and has worked across a number of industries including steel, resources and consulting. Lee is responsible for the strategic development of Transfield Services, including mergers and acquisitions. Previously, Lee was Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Development for BHP/Bluescope Steel. Mr. Andrew Hocking, Manager of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs for IBM Australia and New Zealand and chairperson of the Central Ranges LLEN said: The Central Ranges LLEN has had an ongoing and very valuable partnership with Transfield Services, even being recognised by the Prime Minister's Community-Business Partnerships award in 2004. Since that time the partnership has stayed focused on finding ways to provide genuine mutual benefit for both the community and industry partners. Our new MoU with Transfield and the willingness of school and business leaders to build better links to support young people in our community is something our board values highly. We congratulate all involved in taking the next steps to create new partnerships to support young people across our communities, Mr. Hocking said. Premier John Brumby participated in this year’s State program, reflecting the new prominence of business-education partnerships at both state and national levels. The leadership teams at both Broadford Secondary College and Broadford Primary School both said they were very pleased to have the opportunity to build a strong link with a senior executive of one of Australia's fastest growing and largest employers. As well as "shadowing" each Principal for half a day, Mr. de Vryer was able to view a series of activities also occurring in Broadford during Literacy and Numeracy week. The Primary School and Secondary College also collaborated to establish a "community classroom" in a shop front in the town, running classes for the week and opening up a real classroom to the wider community. Here, Broadford Secondary College teacher, Trish Bulluss, is outlining the programme to Mr. de Vryer and Broadford Primary School Principal, Mr. Tony Gooden. The Principal for a Day is a unique program which builds relationships between government schools, business and the wider community.   The purpose of Principal For A Day is to promote business-education partnerships by: Enabling business/community leaders to experience first hand the issues facing schools, and to meet with students, staff and the wider school community. Matching business/community leaders with school principals for in-depth conversations around management and leadership. Developing ongoing relationships based on shared knowledge and mutual respect and understanding between business and public education. By being a Principal for a Day, business and community leaders gain a firsthand behind-the-scenes view of a normal school day, including in-depth management discussions with the Principal, taking classes with students, talking with parents and staff, even doing canteen or yard duty! The program, which is delivered by the ACER Leadership Centre in partnership with the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, provides an opportunity to showcase the successes of state education, and opens doors for principals into business and community networks. For business and community leaders, the program provides insight into and better understanding of the young people who represent the future of Victoria. “Relationships between business, education and the wider community are gaining prominence on the national agenda,” says ACER CEO Professor Geoff Masters, himself a repeat participant. “The Principal for a Day program assists in building these relationships. The program provides a unique opportunity for leaders from the business and educational spheres to learn from each other and form long-lasting professional networks,” he says. The Principal for a Day key event will be followed two weeks later by a Forum, to be held on 16 September, in which guest panelists will discuss the issues arising from the Principal for a Day program, around the theme “Leadership: Finding the common ground”.   Related Links: Transfield Services CRLLEN and Transfield sign new 3 Year MoU Transfield Partnership wins PM's commendation! Industry Forum 2004 Regional Employers help city kids! ACER - Principal for a Day ACER Media release Literacy and Numeracy Week 2008 Posted by Bill Coppinger on 2 September 2008; 4:58:34 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss (2 responses)

Deferring a University Offer in Regional Victoria

State-wide Partnership Confirms Increasing Trend in Rural Deferment Disadvantage A report released today confirms that students from rural and regional Victoria are at least twice as disadvantaged when it comes to taking up their tertiary offers compared to their metropolitan counterparts. The report, commissioned through a partnership of 14 Local Learning Employment Networks (LLENs) and the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria found that in 2007, 15.7% of regional Victorian school completers deferred a place at university. This is two and a half times the rate of deferral found amongst metropolitan students. The report is part of a longitudinal study carried out by the Centre for Post-Compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of Melbourne and provides information on the first 12 months of data gathered from 897 respondents. “The LLENs and YACVic have been concerned for some time that the impact of the drought, coupled with high petrol prices, rental market increases and other higher costs of living are further limiting these young people’s opportunities to take up their tertiary offers” YACVic CEO Georgie Ferrari said. “There are, however some positive findings in the study’s interim report with 7 out of 10 students having taken up a place at University in the following year,” Ms Ferrari said. While these results on the surface seem positive, only a re-contact of the cohort in 2009 will confirm whether these important transitions prove to be successful in the longer term. Andrew Hocking, Chairperson of the Central Ranges LLEN said, “This is an important partnership between many llens , the university of Melbourne and YACVic.” “It highlights that our communities must continue to do everything we can to ensure our young people succeed in making the transition from school to work and further study". Download Deferring a University Offer in Regional Victoria [PDF 300KB] Related Links Youth Affairs Council of Victoria [YACVIC] Centre for Post Compulsory and Life Long Learning [CPELL] Baw Baw Latrobe LLEN | Campaspe Cohuna LLEN | Central Grampians LLEN | Central Ranges LLEN | Gippsland East LLEN | Goldfields LLEN | Goulburn Murray LLEN | Highlands LLEN | NE Tracks LLEN | North Central LLEN | Northern Mallee LLEN | South Gippsland Bass Coast LLEN | South West LLEN | Wimmera Southern Mallee LLEN News.Com.AU- Drought keeping country students at home   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 16 August 2008; 5:48:04 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Better Education Tops the List

Two perspectives from the Business Council of Australia in the last month around the future challenges for the Australian education system . 1. Australia’s best teachers should be paid almost $130,000 as a key step in recognising their value to society and strengthening the teaching profession, a new BCA paper says. The paper also recommends creating two new levels of teacher certification beyond initial registration, to allow the best teachers to be recognised as ‘accomplished’ and ‘leading’, as part of a much needed overhaul of remuneration. The BCA today launched its new paper Teaching Talent: The Best Teachers For Australia’s Classrooms, which calls for a five-point plan to recognise outstanding teachers and to lift the standard of teaching in Australian classrooms. “Teachers are a key to unlocking our nation’s economic and social potential, but their contribution to society is being greatly undervalued,” the Chair of the BCA’s Education, Skills and Innovation Task Force, Hutch Ranck, said. “The quality of learning by our children is critical in ensuring Australia has the skills and knowledge required to meet its future challenges, and quality and effectiveness of classroom teachers are the most important influences on effective learning. Business Council of Australia   2 . Future prosperity rests on the success of the school system, writes Angus James. The most important resource for businesses in the 21st century is our people. If, as a nation, we are to continue to improve our standard of living, then education – as the facilitator of human capital – must be included among our highest priorities. Education is not an isolated process that takes place during certain years of one's life in particular institutions. Rather, I see it as a continuum whereby individuals are "students" throughout their lives as they continue to acquire knowledge and skills relevant to their personal needs, work aspirations, their communities and ultimately, the country as a whole. The school system is the foundation of this learning continuum and should have as its aim the creation of the best learning environment possible for all students. Every individual – no matter what their background – ought to be able to finish school with the knowledge and skills that will give them real opportunities to choose a rewarding career and to fully participate in the life of their local community. By Angus James Chief Executive of ABN Amro BCA Board Member Member, BCA Education Skills and Innovation Task Force The Australian Financial Review 30 April 2008   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 26 May 2008; 3:21:43 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

North East Thoroughbred Industry - Workshop

North East Thoroughbred Industry Strategic Planning Workshop As the North East Thoroughbred Industry Cluster has just entered its 2nd year of coordination, and with confirmation of further funding to assist the North East Thoroughbred region to grow, it is timely that we come together to look at the journey so far, and to strategically plan our direction (and set goals) over the next 3 years. This workshop will be facilitated by two experts in the development of industry clusters and commercial business. Mr Michael Burke has a great deal of experience in the concept of Clusters as well as facilitation, and Bruce Connolly has previously undertaken work for NET. All participants of the North East Thoroughbred Industry are encouraged to attend, what will be a very compact session. A buffet style cooked breakfast, and lunch will be provided, so it is important that you RSVP by the requested date. To register, or obtain further information, please contact: Glenn Barry M: 0427 313 776 E: glennb@strathbogie.vic.gov.au WORKSHOP DETAILS: WHEN: Wednesday 30th April 2008 WHERE: The Pickled Olive Restaurant ‐ Euroa TIME: breakfast between 7.15am & 7.50am; session 8.00am ‐ 2.00pm COST: No Cost – funded by the North East Thoroughbreds CATERING: Buffet style cooked breakfast and lunch supplied. RSVP: by COB Friday April 25 th (for catering purposes) Related Links: North East Thoroughbred Industry Alliance     Posted by Bill Coppinger on 24 April 2008; 5:02:08 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Clusters will grow in importance, says Welsh expert

Clusters will grow in importance, says Welsh expert. Professor Philip Cooke (University of Wales) has been a keynote speaker at various TCI conferences in recent years, and is an active collaborator with other academics and economic development professionals around the world, including us. Herewith is a summary of one of his recent presentations. To talk about clusters properly, one needs to build in localised enterprise support infrastructure which [...] [Source: Investment Innovation] Posted by Bill Coppinger on 24 April 2008; 4:57:22 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Industry Cluster Workshop

As part of the North East Thoroughbred Industries desire to be recognised Nationally as leaders in the area of Best Practice, we will be holding an important workshop designed to develop some industry specific Position Descriptions. The workshop will be facilitated by Mr Chris Green from SED Consulting in Wangaratta and has been funded by Regional Development Victoria, through the Business Continuity Program. All participants of the North East Thoroughbred Industry are encouraged to attend, and it would be appreciated if all stud/farm employees are invited and encouraged to participate. A BBQ and refreshments will be provided for people participating in the workshop. When: Thursday 13th December 2007 Where: The Regatta Centre ‐ Nagambie Time: 5.00pm ‐ 8.30pm Cost: No Cost Catering: BBQ and refreshments provided RSVP: by COB Monday December 10 th (for catering purposes) Glenn Barry Coordinator North East Thoroughbred Industry Cluster Mob. 0427313776 Email: glennb@strathbogie.vic.gov.au Web: www.netia.com.au Posted by Bill Coppinger on 4 December 2007; 1:04:50 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Aviation Pathways a Possibility!

Regional Express (Rex) and Mangalore Airport Pty Limited (MAPL) announced today that they have signed an MOU for a Joint Venture to create a new Professional Pilot Academy to be named the Civil Aviation Training Academy (CATA). IT does not often happen that a rural-region sees a new and emerging industry develop that has such obvious global links including a range of training and employment opportunities..... What should be the next step for the Education and Training sector in this region? We have a few thoughts!! A pilot training academy will open at Mangalore Airport near Seymour in Victoria's North later this year. The pilot school will be a joint venture between the airline Regional Express (Rex) and Mangalore Airport. The academy is planning to take 80 students in its first year of operation but has plans to grow the intake to 350 a year in the future. The first 20 students are expected to start in December. The airline has previously said there is a shortage of pilots and that small airlines lose out in the competition for staff. Mangalore airport's General Manager, Captain Keith Wallace, says the pilot school will also create dozens of local jobs. “The owners have invested heavily in upgrades to the airport, such as a Fibre-optic LAN to connect all the students, learning centre and administration. Runway 18/36 has been recently resurfaced. An examination centre has been created for Assessment Services Pty Ltd to enable students to sit for CASA theory examinations at Mangalore Airport” “Captain Wallace stated that the investment to date in buildings, runway works, and infrastructure has been achieved without financial assistance from any sources, and the project is being shaped as the focal point of an Aviation Cluster, with the central role of providing an internationally competitive training solution for the airline industry. In doing so, other aviation related industries and activities will be introduced to the Goulburn Valley Region of Central Victoria, and beyond” "The ripple down effects into the whole area is going to be very beneficial," said Captain Wallace. [Source: ABC News and Rex Airlines ] Posted by Bill Coppinger on 2 November 2007; 8:19:26 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss (5 responses)

Community Service Announcement: Equine Influenza

This message is circulated on behalf of Mike Becker, President of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria as a community and industry service announcement for the benefit of members of the Central Ranges LLEN regarding the current concerns regarding the outbreak of Equine Influenza in Australia. NOTICE TO ALL FARM OWNERS   URGENT ACTION IS REQUIRED BY ALL FARM OWNERS Please read the following notice carefully regarding the Horse Standstill Order on Equine Influenza, which is in effect until 1pm Friday August 31 at which time further information will be given out. We need to urgently understand: What contact you and your farm has had with other horse breeds, neighbouring properties. If any of your horses have arrived from interstate since August 8 2007. If any of your horses are showing any clinical signs of/ or treatment received for respiratory disease (Clinical signs include elevated temperature, dry hacking cough, nasal discharge, lethargy) If YES to either or all of the questions listed above please complete the appended form or ring the Breeders' hotline on 1300 139 401 to provide detailed information. Furthermore we require the following action: No movement of horses between farms Report any horse movements you observe Provide overalls and footwear protection for any vets, farriers, dentists etc that come on to your farm and ensure they thoroughly wash down before leaving Take twice daily temperature checks of all horses that arrived from interstate for the next 72 hours Your support to provide accurate horse movement is vitally important before the current DPI horse movement ban can be reviewed. We do have manifests from each transport company. Failure to provide the correct information may result in penalties and sanctions, which is strongly supported by TBV, RVL, DPI and the Australian Stud Book. Contact the Department of Primary Industry Hotline on 1800 678 779 if you require assistance. Yours truly Mike Becker President - TBV Provided by: Glenn Barry Coordinator North East Thoroughbreds M. 0427 313 776 E. glennb@strathbogie.vic.gov.au Related Links: Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria Department of Primary Industry Orders signed by Minister for Agriculture, Joe Helper National pests and disease outbreak website Posted by Bill Coppinger on 28 August 2007; 9:21:36 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Vict. Country Thoroughbred Festival

Equine Industry on Show at Seymour’s Victorian Country Thoroughbred Festival (Aug. 11 & 12) The inaugural Victorian Country Thoroughbred Festival takes place in Seymour over the weekend of August 11 & 12, 2007. This Festival, which will highlight the region as the hub for Thoroughbred Breeding in the State, will also provide interested students and their parents an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the enormous number of career pathways which exist in the Equine industry. For those who aren’t aware, the Thoroughbred Industry is the nations 4th largest industry in term of employment, and contrary to popular belief, a significant number of these careers do not involve 4am starts and lifetime of shoveling horse manure! In a very specialised global industry, the Australian Thoroughbred industry is highly regarded for its training courses and its people. Not only will the major providers of Equine training courses in Victoria will be on hand at this Festival but so to will be many of the regional studs, supply companies to the industry and regional food & wine producers which will further illustrate the vast career options which are linked to this industry. The Festival’s Saturday program is focused on showcasing this strong Thoroughbred Region with a stud and winery based regional tour, culminating in the North East Thoroughbred Breeders of Victoria’s annual awards night at Mitchelton Restaurant.   Sunday’s action packed program includes the Thoroughbred Trade Expo and feature race day all in the one location – Seymour race course. Free Access for CRLLEN Secondary Students To assist students and their parents from Secondary Schools within the Central Ranges LLEN Region make the most of this opportunity, any student with a keen interest in discovering more about the industry will be assisted with admission ticketing to the Sunday program, (Seymour Race Course, 9am - 5pm) - See details from the link below! World Class Education in our region! One of the features of the Expo is the Education and Employment area which is supported by Wangaratta’s National Centre for Equine Education (NCEE). Within this marquee, you will have access to the following Education and Employment providers: National Centre of Equine Education (NCEE) NMIT and their Northern Lodge. Marcus Oldham College. Racing Victoria Limited -  Training Programs The Apprenticeship Factory Work Ways – Seymour. To see the full story and further details, follow this link: www.centralrangesllen.org.au/viccountrythoroughbredfestival Posted by Bill Coppinger on 30 July 2007; 4:36:07 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Regional Economies and Education

Hume Region Later Years Teaching & Learning 2007 The four Local Learning and Employment Networks covering the Hume Region together with the Department of Education - Hume Region are organising and sponsoring the 2007 Hume Region Later Years Teaching & Learning Retreat. It will be held at Latrobe at Beechworth on: Thursday 16 August 2007 and Friday 17 August 2007. The programme [below] provides details of guest speakers, sessions to share best practice in the transition years and workshops. Of particular note is the Keynote address to be delivered on the Thursday night Dinner by Professor Jack Keating. His topic is: Regional economies and education : how can they support each other? Professor Keating is the head of the Centre for Post Compulsory Education & Lifelong Learning at Melbourne University and has been involved in the area of post compulsory education and training in Australia and at the international level for the past 20 years. He worked in the OECD on its recent project on qualifications and lifelong learning and has undertaken projects for the International Labour Office, UNESCO, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter America Development Bank and the World Bank in this area. The dinner is part of the Hume Region Later Years Teaching & Learning Retreat but can be booked separately. Dinner invitations are being extended to a range of LLEN stakeholders who are involved in economic and educational planning in across the North East. Contact Information: Email: hume.later.years@edumail.vic.gov.au Downloads Conference Programme [PDF 436KB] Sponsored and organised by Department of Education, Hume Region, NE TRACKS LLEN, North East LLEN, Goulburn Murray LLEN and Central Ranges LLEN.   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 24 July 2007; 9:54:13 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Regional Skills Shortage Survey Project

As advised late in 2006, the Victorian Government, in a national first, through Employment Programs and the Commonwealth Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, have jointly developed and implemented the Regional Skills Shortage Survey Project. The Project was initially developed to address some of the data needs of DVC’s Regional Migration Incentive Fund (RMIF). The Minister for Skills, Education Services and Employment, Jacinta Allan, launched the summary report which covers all 11 regions and 16 surveyed industries in October 2006. We highly commend this work between State and Federal jurisdictions, but we find the unique needs of the peri-urban shires of Macedon, Mitchell and Murrindindi are poorly served by a lack of detailed and focused planning data. This is because of the nature of the Employment Service Areas and study areas in general as well as the unique geographic nature of our region. Our major population centres and regional communities are not covered in these studies. Valuable indicative findings will be useful for our planning, but much greater local work needs to be done. The Board of the LLEN, in collaboration with regional departments, shires and employer organisations is working to establish a fully reviewed 2007-2012 version of our highly successfull environmental scan. This is building on our own Murrindindi Training Demand Study 2005-2006 that was supported through a State Government Community Cabinet and Office of Training and Tertiary Education funding. We will report in more details to members over the coming months. The 11 RMIF regions are: Wimmera Grampians Mildura and region Bendigo and region Geelong and Colac region Ballarat and region Goulburn Murray Wodonga and region North East region Swan Hill and region Warrnambool district Gippsland we have linked to the regions most relevant to Central Ranges LLEN Stakeholders. The aim of the Project is to: Provide information on the nature and extent of recruitment difficulties at a regional level Identify skills in demand and labour supply issues Identify occupations employers are experiencing difficulties in filling Provide consistent and reliable data Surveying of all 11 regions is now complete. Related Links: Murrindindi Training Demand Study Environmental Scan Posted by Bill Coppinger on 11 May 2007; 7:23:31 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Small Business OH&S Advisers Programme

The Small Business Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Advisers Programme offers free seminars, onsite assistance and telephone support for all small businesses within Australia. The programme aims to assist small business owners in creating, managing and maintaining OHS procedures to the current legal standard. Small Business OHS Posted by Bill Coppinger on 1 May 2007; 8:30:23 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Business in the Community

The CRLLEN participated in an interesting, thought provoking and valuable forum session today, staged by the Victorian Office of Learning and Teaching, with guest David Grayson, CBE. The forum explored the relationships between schools and business with a focus on corporate social responsibility. David is part-time director of Business in the Community (BITC) which is the largest and one of the oldest business-led coalitions promoting responsible business anywhere in the world.  David shared 25 years of experience with BITC and the lessons learnt.  He provided insights on what has been achieved for education and provided some constructive insights for Victorian education and businesses wishing to embark on similar initiatives. Based in the United Kingdom, David Grayson is an expert in the trends of corporate philanthropy.  He spends much of his time speaking, writing and advising on business, entrepreneurialism and social trends for businesses, media outlets and business schools around the world.  The Financial Times described him as: “one of the UK’s most respected voices on business social responsibility.” David has worked with many leading global businesses including BP, Shell and Microsoft and with international institutions such as the European Union and the World Bank.   For most of his career David has been a social entrepreneur, starting and/or running a number of public-private-community partnerships.  He is a former Joint Managing-Director of Business in the Community and currently serves as part-time Director.  In addition, he focuses on small businesses as founder chairman of the UK Small Business Consortium. David is the Director of The Prince of Wales Award for Innovation and a contributing editor to The Corporate Citizenship Briefing.  He has Masters Degrees from the universities of Cambridge and Brussels, an MBA from Newcastle; and an honorary doctorate of laws from London SouthBank University. David shared a range of insights and experiences with the approximately 60 strong audience. Of particular interest to this participant, [among many things] was the "Teach First" initiative. Teach First attracts, selects, trains, places and supports top graduates to work in challenging schools and also for leading employers. Teach First and its partners deliver outstanding teacher and leadership training, internships, coaching and networking to develop its people while achieving its mission. David's books include “Corporate Social Opportunity: Seven Steps to make Corporate Social Responsibility work for your business,” and “Everybody’s Business — Managing Risks and Opportunities in today’s global society.” Also presenting at the forum was Leah Sertori, well known to CRLLEN members as one of the presenters at our 2005 Business-Industry Forum, who shared insights in to the Castlemaine based Enterprise Teachers for the 21st Century project. Leah is currently with Melbourne Cares. Melbourne Cares aims to enable business, communities and government to work together to sustainably improve the quality of life for the people of Melbourne and in particular for those in most need. Through the vision of Committee for Melbourne and by working in partnership with Business in the Community in the UK, a relationship catalysed by Pilotlight Australia, 21 companies have come together to establish Melbourne Cares as a pilot for Australia. Related Links: Powerpoint Presentation [1.1MB] Business in the Community [ www.bitc.org.uk ] Teach First [ www.teachfirst.org.uk ] " Melbourne Cares [ www.melbournecares.org.au ] Pilotlight [ www.pilotlight.org.au ] Forum 2005 - The Three Pillars PM's Community-Business Partnership Award       Posted by Bill Coppinger on 9 March 2007; 6:19:54 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

First Indigenous Economic Development Conference

The Koori Business Network has announced the first state-wide Victorian Indigenous economic development forum, Embracing Business Opportunities, which will be held on 26 and 27 April 2007 in Melbourne. The conference will provide individuals and organisations interested in Indigenous business growth with the opportunity to share perspectives, and open new doors. The two-day program aims to engage Indigenous entrepreneurs, individuals, the Indigenous community, government agencies, community-based organisations and the broader business community to: stimulate business growth within the Indigenous community through cooperation, networking and sharing business and industry information identify emerging trends and new directions for enterprise increase knowledge about investment and financing opportunities celebrate the successes and learn valuable insights from Indigenous business owners provide showcasing opportunities for Indigenous businesses facilitate learning opportunities through business workshops provide a platform for the voices of Indigenous youth challenge delegates to improve the current landscape leading to increased Indigenous participation in the Victorian economy While the conference's focus is the State of Victoria, participation from around Australia and other parts of the world is encouraged. Related Links: Indigenous Economic Development Conference Call for Papers - KBN Conference [Source: Business Victoria]   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 9 February 2007; 6:40:47 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Regional Training Centre Students win by a length!

After 12 months of hard work the first Thoroughbred Employee of the Year awards were announced at Moonee Valley Racecourse last Friday night. National Centre for Equine Education trainer and racing identity Gaye Gauci is celebrating not only the launch of the awards, which, as an Agri-Foods Industry Skills Champion she has worked hard to establish, but major wins by three of her racing students. The presentation of the Racing Victoria Limited and Agri-Foods Industry Skills Council, 2006 Thoroughbred Employee of the Year Awards is a move towards recognising the achievements of trainees and students in the racing sector. "It is the first real step to addressing the profile of our most worthy workers who are the heartbeat of the racing industry and its future," said Ms Gauci. The National Centre for Equine Education (NCEE) trained four students out of the 10 finalists, three of whom were category winners, and the overall 2006 winner, Dwayne Reid. Dwayne was announced the overall winner of the 2006 Thoroughbred Employee of the Year award. He completed his Certificate II in Racing (Stablehand) last year as a School Based Apprentice while studying for his VCE with placements at Spring Lodge Racing in Benalla. The National Centre for Equine Education (NCEE) is a specialist training centre established within Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE (GOTAFE). The NCEE caters for the horse racing, horse breeding, equine health, competition and general equine sectors offering industry approved qualifications to both secondary students and those working in the field. I highly commend this excelllent industry training resource to all members. To read for the full story on the awards and further details about NCEE, please follow this link: www.centralrangesllen.org.au/thoroughbredemployees2006 Related Links: Equine Industry Network Tour A Day at the Races -Industry Initiative CRLLEN School Based New Appreinticeship Alliance National Centre for Equine Education Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 8 December 2006; 10:37:51 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Equine Industry Network Tour

Rakti, Tayasu Tsuyoshi, Durbridge, Chosen Light, Dash for Cash and Rory's Jester are names many won't easily forget after today! Seymour Racecourse was the departure point this morning for a unique mix of industry, education and local government representatives attending a district-wide tour of the region's rapidly expanding and world-renowned thoroughbred studs. A truly first-hand and up-close look at some of this country's best thoroughbred breeding operations was an opportunity not to be missed. The North East of Victoria is home to some of Australia’s finest thoroughbred properties and has been home to some of this countries finest thoroughbred stock. The region has produced Melbourne Cup winners, Champion Stallions, Leading Breeders and is renowned for raising, preparing and selling some of Australia’s best racehorses. Special recognition goes to the operators of Chatswood Stud [Greg Willis], Avenel Equine Clinic [Robyn Hyland], Holly Lodge Thoroughbreds [Christine & Terry Nevill] and Swettenham Stud [Ian Rimington] for the generosity and direct support of the day. Opening access to their operations at such a busy time is always difficult but the group attending the tour were able to see a broad range of world-class operations and activities across the entire spectrum of the industry. A special thanks also to Peter Laughlin and Stuart Locke from Seymour Coaches for their support of the day. Over fifty people attended the day, focussed on building better links between industry, goverment and education sectors. Mitchell and Strathbogie shires were well represented with councillors in attendance, as well as guests from South Loddon Local Community Partnership[LCP], Regional Development Victoria and schools from the Mitchell [Seymour] and Murrindindi Shires [Yea] as well as School cluster leaders from the Seymour and Broadford "clusters" of primary and secondary schools. Job network providers and Regional Industry Careers Advisors [RICA's] were also in attendance. The Central Ranges LLEN was pleased to be one of the supporters of the day, and genuine credit should go to the small consortium of partners that helped devise and stage the industry tour. Sally McDonald from the economic development group of Strathbogie Shire, Christine Cox, Carmen Fifield and Gerard Hard from the Apprenticeship Factory and South West Goulburn Local Community partnership[LCP], Glenn Barry from Racing Victoria, Ian Rimington from Swettenham Stud and Adam Cockerell from Cutting Edge Uniting Care should all be congratulated for the quality of the day. A network lunch at the wonderful Mitchelton Winery also gave participants an opportunity to make links across sectors and consider plans for taking the next steps in developing parterships to promote possible further connections across all sectors, including the North East Thoroughbred Industry Alliance [NETIA] . Full details of the day and a picture gallery can be found by following this link. www.centralrangesllen.org.au/equineindustry2006     Posted by Bill Coppinger on 29 November 2006; 9:41:06 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

ALGA Publishes 2006 State of the Regions Report

The Australian Local Government Association [ALGA]released it's highly valuable State of the Regions Report yesterday, 27th November. The survey of Australia's 64 regions is commissioned annually by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) from National Economics. This is the 9th survey undertaken by National Economics. Editors Note: The Central Ranges LLEN Board commissioned National Economics in 2002 and 2004 to produce the CRLLEN Environmental Scan. A document and data set that has been highly valued by planners across our region. An enhanced scan of the LLEN region will be published in 2007. The 2006 State of the Regions survey is set against a backdrop of accelerating of population growth in the 'resource zones' and a ten-year land boom that saw land values triple between 1996 and 2005 creating a housing affordability crisis for renters and first home buyers. Despite improvements in broadband usage, the lack of connectivity in parts of regional Australia translates to an inability to attract new industry and well trained productive workers. Lower land costs make these regions attractive to low-income earners, fixed-income retired or semi-retired households. Regions with higher concentrations of low and fixed income earners tend to be less attractive to young people and skilled workers which further reduces the skills base and accelerates the loss of skills and critical mass for improved connectivity. The key to reversing this vicious cycle is to reverse the flow of skills and improve connectivity - both transport and communication - between relatively disadvantaged regions and successful regions as well as international markets. The report says Australia's local government areas could resemble California's Silicon Valley, given a boost to regional innovation, and mentions the Bendigo Community Telco as an example. The report paints a picture of regions and local communities fighting back by innovating and generating investment. It shows that: Improved employment conditions in rural regions are encouraging greater levels of working age migration to some rural regions The baby bounce continues in core metro and lifestyle regions Local communities can take action to improve the speed and coverage of their internet services [Note: See our Broadband Broker Project] High productivity regions are ageing relatively slowly The capacity to innovate depends on knowledge networks at the regional level Australia's major centres are forming innovation clusters that attract high tech start ups The land boom in Australia increased the self-perceived wealth of households across the nation The report praises the Australian Government's major broadband initiative - Broadband Connect and Clever Networks - which will have flow-on benefits and shows that much of the current investment in upgrading broadband services focused on upgrading existing exchanges in successful regions to higher bandwidths that provide higher speeds. The report found that Australia's most successful regions, when measured by the number of patents per 100,000 population and high tech start-ups, are still the major cities, particularly Sydney, and Melbourne. It is evident that the major centres, with their internationally networked businesses, universities and research centres attract more firms, and the impact of this is that dense clusters of activity create a higher level of patent applications. Municipalities that are (financially) smaller or (geographically) larger face additional disadvantage due to longer travel times and scale. The report finds that the quality of service each dollar can purchase can vary considerably between municipalities. The resources necessary to give disadvantaged councils a better chance to play a more effective role in improving economic performance outcomes will in the main have to come from grants or other revenue enhancing measures. Regarding council infrastructure, the report estimates that $2.3 billion in extra money is needed to bring resource-poor local government regions infrastructure up to the general standard. On the issue of road finance, the report advocates a move to road finance through user charges with council rates only paying for maintaining local access roads. I highly commend this report to all LLEN members and those community members that have an interest and stake in sustainable regional development. [Source: ALGA] Related Links Australian Local Government Association National Institute of Economic and Industry Research CRLLEN Environmental Scan Bendigo Community Telco CRLLEN Community Broadband Broker Broadband Connect Clever Networks State of the Regions Report   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 28 November 2006; 9:57:17 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss (1 response)

3 Outstanding Community Forums

We would like to alert members, subscribers and all LLEN stakeholders to three outstanding upcoming forums that focus on much of what is at the heart to the work of the Central Range LLEN. Three world-class opportunities exist to engage with key policy makers, community leaders and researchers who are all focused on strengthening communities by finding ways to better synchronise local planning, improve skill, competitiveness and economic and social outcomes. Governments and Communities in Partnership - Sept 25-27th Melbourne Strategy and Global Competitiveness - Nov 30th - Sydney Asset Based Community Development - 6th -7th Dec -Melbourne   Governments and Communities in Partnership The two most important developments in policy making in recent years concern efforts to 'join-up' different public services and related initiatives to strengthen communities to help them become more economically and socially resilient. The Centre for Public Policy Governments and Communities in Partnership conference will bring together key policy makers, community leaders and researchers from around Australia , together with leading experts from the UK, Ireland, Austria, Canada, the United States and New Zealand . The aim of the program will be to deepen the academic and policy debate about the impact and value of these transformations, and also to support the needs of practitioners to discuss cutting-edge cases and issues with colleagues from around the world. It is organised by the OECD LEED Programme in collaboration with the Centre for Public Policy. Event details here   Strategy and Global Competitiveness Michael Porter, acknowledged as the most influential living management thinker, and respected Harvard Business School professor, will share his latest unpublished material on strategy and global competitiveness, with an in-depth focus on Australia. Professor Porter is a leading authority on competitive strategy and the competitiveness and economic development of nations, states, and regions. He leads The Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness. Professor Porter's work on Institutional structures for rural economic development and his work on regional clusters is of particular [and critical] interest to many stakeholders within the LLEN and broader region. I highly encourage representatives from peak industry bodies and local government planners to consider attending this event. Event Details here   Asset Based Community Development - National Facilitator Training Workshops An exciting opportunity exists for people Australia – wide who have an interest and commitment to Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) philosophies and methodologies, and want to further their facilitator / trainer skills, and become part of the creation of an Australian National Network. The Asset-Based Community Development Institute (ABCD), established in 1995 by the Community Development Program at Northwestern University's Institute for Policy Research, is built upon three decades of community development research by John Kretzmann and John L. McKnight. The ABCD Institute spreads its findings on capacity-building community development in two ways: (1) through extensive and substantial interactions with community builders, and (2) by producing practical resources and tools for community builders to identify, nurture, and mobilize neighborhood assets. Three facilitator training workshops are being held, each with a maximum of 30 participants. Training will be provided and certified by the ABCD Institute at Northwestern University in Chicago, USA. Contributors include The Municipal Association of Victoria, Centre for Community Child Health - The Royal Children's Hospital and Peter Kenyon's "Bank of Ideas" group. Event details here  Related Links OECD - LEED - Local Economic and Employment Development Centre for Public Policy - Univeristy of Melbourne Michael Porter - The Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness -Harvard University Northwestern University's Institute for Policy Research - ABCD CRLLEN's Discussion Forum on Asset Based Community Development     Posted by Bill Coppinger on 12 September 2006; 9:45:00 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss (1 response)

Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival

Come to Kyneton in the first two weeks of September for the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival where there will be fabulous things to see and enjoy, hosts of daffodils, the Spring Flower Show, Kyneton Antique Fair and the Daffodil Old Time Ball. Also happening are fairs and markets, art shows and concerts with fun features such as ferret racing and sidewalk sales taking place on the first Saturday. Restaurants & cafes of Kyneton and local wineries are presenting a joint fine food and wine tasting to bring the delights of the Coliban Bridge Food and Wine Trail especially for the Daffodil Arts Festival. When: Weekends of 2nd and 3rd September and 8th and 9th September FREE wine tastings and meet the winemaker available during the day. Follow the signs. Exciting, food and wine deal to tempt your taste buds available on the above days only. Restaurants and cafes will provide an entrée size meal to compliment a glass of wine that is on offer on that day for a minimal price of $10-$15. At Royal George, Giancarlo’s, the Albion, Café 101, Kyneton Gourmet, the Old Saddlery Cafe and more. [Source: kynetondaffodilarts.org.au ] For further details: Telephone 03 54 222-282 E-mail: info@kynetondaffodilarts.org.au Web: www.kynetondaffodilarts.org.au Posted by Bill Coppinger on 29 August 2006; 3:56:40 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Telstra cuts plans for Broadband Network

Regular readers and subscribers to the CRLLEN website will be aware of the work the association has been doing to improve and broaden access to telecommunications and broadband infrastructure across the communities of Macedon, Mitchell and Murrindindi Shires. In a blow to progress of the roll-out of high speed telecommunications networks across Australia, Whirlpool, [Australia's largest Broadband Users web site] reports: Telstra has announced it has called off its talks with the ACCC over its Fibre to the Node (FTTN) network. The proposal was announced in November last year, with Telstra planning to offer 12Mbit/s ADSL to mainland capital cities by replacing large sections of copper phone lines with fibre. But the proposal hinged on Telstra achieving a "satisfactory regulatory outcome", which at the time was zero access to competitors. Since that day, Telstra relented and began talks with the ACCC over how competitors could access the network. But today, Telstra said that discussion had "reached an impasse" and placed the blame squarely on the ACCC. "The major stumbling block was the ACCC's unwillingness to recognise the actual costs that Telstra incurs in providing its services and, especially, the costs it incurs in providing services to rural, regional and remote Australia", said a Telstra statement. The ACCC says it is "perplexed" over Telstra's decision to stop talks, stating that discussions with Telstra had occurred as recently as yesterday. The full story can be found on the Community Broadband Website. Related Links Community Broadband Broker Website C.O.I.Ns  Whirlpool  The Financial Times of London  The Sydney Morning Herald  MarketWatch Posted by Bill Coppinger on 8 August 2006; 9:08:44 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

VET and Sustainable Regional Communities

As the work of the LLEN focuses increasingly on the integration of what we call our "three pillars" of Education, Business and Community and how best to create regional clusters that support skill development, investment attraction and genuine opportunities for our young people, this most recent report from the NCVER highlights the critical role between high quality training and the development of sustainable communities in Australia. I highly commend this report to all members, particularly those NOT in the education sector. This research examines the impact of vocational education and training (VET), and its project-based activities and partnerships, on the development of sustainable communities in regional Australia. It finds that VET plays a critical role as the entry point to learning and builds considerable social and other forms of capital in regional communities. ‘Building capital’ means making the most of available resources and trying to generate more resources when required. Social capital refers to the network of relationships and skills which result from community and civic activities. This study points to new opportunities for integrating these assets into strategic regional development.   Vocational education and training, VET partnerships and project-based training have created and mobilised social capital, as well as human, environmental, cultural and built (that is, physical) capital in regional Australia. These various types of capital are core requirements for sustainable regional development. Vocational education and training and VET partnerships play a critical role in creating individual and community confidence and are often the key entry points to learning and employment. There is a need for a more holistic approach to training, giving consideration to the continuing learning pathway along which an individual may travel, as opposed to focusing on discrete packages and modules. This is especially apparent in Indigenous communities where training can impose community obligations. There are excellent examples of VET leadership in regional development but, in general, vocational education and training and VET partnerships are not full participants in regional development plans and strategies. The changing regional landscapes will benefit from more input from the VET sector. VET has responded well to a growing consolidation of larger regional service centres, where the ‘higher order’ skills associated with new technologies and electronics are often required. Less well resolved is the role of VET in smaller centres. There is a need for effective regional delivery models which link these service centres. You can download the report from the LLEN Research archive here [360KB]. [Source: NCVER] Posted by Bill Coppinger on 20 July 2006; 10:39:01 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

ICT to drive productivity for next 20 years

The Federal Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) has released an occasional Economic Paper. This report presents forecasts of productivity growth in major sectors of the Australian economy between 2004 and 2024. The main objective is to inform policy makers and the interested public on the likely impact of technological change on productivity growth. Of particular note in the report is the finding that: On the basis of quite conservative assumptions, indications are that information and communications technology (ICT) will remain the main driver of productivity growth over the next 20 years. The full report can be downloaded here [PDF 1.8M]   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 6 April 2006; 8:39:05 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Strong Demand for Broadband

STRONG DEMAND FOR BROADBAND The communities of the Mitchell, Murrindindi and Macedon Ranges shires have registered strong demand for broadband following a recent survey. The first of what will be a number of community meetings across the three shires will be held in Wallan in the coming weeks. For full details please view the Community Broadband Website at: www.centralrangesllen.org.au/communitybroadband/   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 30 March 2006; 4:47:52 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss (1 response)

New Concepts in Innovation

The Business Council of Australia has released a research report titled: New Concepts in Innovation: The key to Growing Australia. The report calls for a broader concept of innovation, extending beyond just R&D-based activities, to be embraced and integrated into education and training systems so that capabilities for innovation success can be better developed within the workforce. Education and training systems need to be focused on not only the development of strong technical and applied capabilities but also employability skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, ongoing learning, creativity, cultural understanding, entrepreneurship and leadership. The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is an association of Chief Executives of 100 of Australia’s leading corporations. BCA Member companies employ nearly one million Australians, generate $340 billion in the economy and produce 30 per cent of Australia’s exports. The report states: The BCA has a deep interest in policies that promote sustained growth and prosperity in the global economy through strengthening Australia’s economic competitiveness. The Education, Skills & Innovation (ESI) Task Force is one of five BCA policy Task Forces. The objective of this Task Force is to research and advocate policies that develop Australia’s education, skills and training capacity, and in turn increase the productive potential of the economy and the living standards of all Australians. The Task Force places a significant priority on the role of innovation. An important focus of its work in this area is to identify and examine the sources and potential of business innovation and its role in economic growth. I commend this report to members. Download New Concepts in Innovation: The key to Growing Australia here.   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 17 March 2006; 1:45:24 AM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss

Broadband Connect and Clever Networks

Comments were sought by the Federal Government from the telecommunications industry, interested stakeholders and the public on how the Broadband Connect and Clever Networks programs can be designed to deliver innovative, competitive and sustainable broadband solutions for Australians in regional, rural and remote areas. A discussion paper inviting submissions was released by the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, on 17 November 2005. Over 100 submissions were received, including a submission from the Central Ranges Broadband Aggregation Broker, representing the Macedon Ranges, Mitchell and Murrindindi shires. The Central Ranges Broker submission, made by Macedon Ranges Shire can be found here on the Community Broadband Broker Web Site . Related Links: www.centralrangesllen.org.au/communitybroadband   Posted by Bill Coppinger on 15 March 2006; 4:01:54 PM from the Regional Economies dept. Discuss (3 responses)