Australian Experiential Learning Centre

Congratulations to us!

The Australian Experiential Learning Centre was awarded the best “New Business” category award on Saturday night.

The Swan Chamber of Commerce 2008 Hanson Swan Awards were presented at a gala event at Sandalford Winery in the Swan Valley. The New Business Award, sponsored by the Small Business Development Corporation, recognised the AELC’s rapid national success and our contribution to Western Australia and the Midland region in particular.

We in turn would like to thank our major corporate partners, including Curtin University of Technology, The Midland Redevelopment Authority and Rotary International as well as the many other organisations that sponsor and/or support our iniatives such as Business Icon across Australia.

Tracey Hodgkins accepting the Best New Business award with members of the AELC staff at Sandalford Winery.

The 2008 Queensland Business Icon™ competition was held in Brisbane during July.

Tasks given to the contestants included fundraising for the not-for-profit organisation Brightest Young Minds, creating a marketing plan for Brisbane City Council and designing a sustainability proposal for Maunsell.

Business Icon™ was founded by Tracey Hodgkins and is managed by the AELC for the Advantage Foundation Ltd. For the first time in the four year history of the competition, which is run in both Queensland and WA, the finalists were all female.

Finalist’s Nicole Walsh, Renee Robbie, Sarah Firth and Laura Christie were given the task of designing a theme park in the Australian Outback.

You can see the girls putting their presentations to the judges on video at www.qld.australianbusinessicon.com.

The Western Australian competition will be held in October this year. The final event at the Midland Railway workshops is shaping up to be a real spectacular with a judging panel including WA business leaders, Richard Goyder (CEO Wesfamers), Sam Walsh (CEO Rio Tinto) and Rick Hart (Rick Hart stores).

2008 Queensland Business Icon™ finalists - from left: Sarah Firth, Laura Christie , Renee Robbie (winner) and Nicola Walsh