Central Ranges LLEN celebrates a year of youth achievement and community impact in 2024
In a year marked by exceptional growth and community engagement, Central Ranges LLEN has successfully strengthened the connections between education and industry across our region. At the heart of our success are the hundreds of young people who embraced our programs with enthusiasm and determination, making 2024 a truly remarkable year.
Our 2024 Year in Review video showcases the outstanding achievements of our students, schools, and industry partners, highlighting our commitment to creating meaningful pathways for young people. We're particularly proud of the way our participants have shown resilience, adaptability, and eagerness to learn throughout all our programs.
Led by CEO Nicky Leitch, our team has coordinated numerous initiatives that have made a lasting impact on our community. From supporting over 200 students through Project Ready across 24 schools to facilitating 181 structured work placements, our programs have provided valuable opportunities for skills development and career exploration.
Key achievements this year include our innovative Agriculture Tour program, which gave 27 students hands-on industry experience, and our Career Quick Meets, connecting 140 students with 19 local employers. Our VET Transport Program supported 227 students in accessing vocational education opportunities, while our Training Interviews program connected 241 students with 16 employers, providing real-world interview experience.
Throughout the year, our commitment to fostering meaningful industry connections led to several standout initiatives. A particular highlight was the launch of our inaugural Vocational Education Awards, which celebrated excellence across VCE Vocational Major, VET, and School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship categories. These awards culminated in an exciting partnership with Mitchell Shire for their Youth Awards, where our outstanding vocational students were recognised alongside other young achievers in the community.
The introduction of our Employer of the Month program in September recognized exceptional businesses making a difference in youth employment and training. We're proud to acknowledge our 2024 winners:
Yea & District Memorial Hospital (September)
Ventia (October)
Seymour Coaches (November)
Seymour Taxis (December)
Our VET Transport Program has been instrumental in removing barriers to education, helping 227 students access vital training opportunities. The program's success demonstrates our commitment to ensuring geography never limits a young person's educational prospects.
The Seymour Puckapunyal Partnership marked another significant milestone, with three scholarships awarded to support local youth in their educational journey. This initiative, alongside our eight Design Thinking Challenges, showcases our innovative approach to creating pathways between education and industry.
The success of our first-ever Vocational Education Awards, celebrated at the Mitchell Shire Youth Awards in Wallan, demonstrated the incredible achievements of our region's young people. From Cooper Bellinger's excellence in VCE Vocational Major to Harasees Singh's outstanding achievements in Aviation and Cookery and Lucas Vicary's accomplishments in his electrical SBAT, these awards highlighted the diverse pathways available to our youth and their commitment to vocational excellence.
Key partnerships have been crucial to our success. We extend our heartfelt thanks to:
Mitchell Learning Hub (Macedon Ranges Education) for their support with Quick Meets and Training Interviews
GoTafe (Wallan & Seymour) for their commitment to vocational education
Our transport partners who ensure program accessibility
Local government partners including Mitchell Shire, Murrindindi Shire, and Macedon Ranges Shire
The many businesses and organisations who have opened their doors to our young people
Looking ahead to 2025, we're excited to build on this year's achievements. Our focus remains on expanding opportunities for young people in our region, strengthening industry partnerships and developing innovative programs that respond to our community's evolving needs.
"The achievements of 2024 reflect the collaborative spirit of our community," says CEO Nicky Leitch. "When we see young people discovering their potential and taking steps toward their future careers, we know our work is making a real difference. The success of our inaugural Vocational Education Awards has shown just how much talent and dedication exists in our region. None of this would be possible without the enthusiasm of our students, the dedication of our staff and the support of our industry partners."
As we close this remarkable year, we invite our community to stay connected with Central Ranges LLEN. Whether you're a student looking for opportunities, an employer wanting to make a difference or a community member interested in supporting local young people, there are many ways to get involved in our journey.
For more information about our programs or to discuss partnership opportunities, please contact us or follow our social media channels for regular updates. Here's to another year of building futures together in 2025!