A MESSAGE FROM CEO SAM HARMA
RDA Central West Future Skills Survey
RDA Central West is conducting a survey to help us to better understand the current and future skills gaps and needs for the Central West, as well as, skill requirements for specific industries and locations of our region.
We encourage you to participate in this survey (approx. 15-20 mins) as the information gained will provide a comprehensive base for the review of the 2020/2021 Central West Skills Occupation List and anticipated workforce needs in the area. The outcomes will also underpin future workforce planning and opportunities for a possible ‘Designated Area Migration Agreement’ for the Central West with the Department of Home Affairs.
We value your feedback and appreciate you taking the time to participate. If you have colleagues or friends, in the region, who might also like to take part in this survey, please forward them this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CWfutureskills
2020 Photography Competition Winners Announced
– C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S! –
RDA Central West is excited to announce the winners of the 2020 ‘Central West is Best’ Photography Competition. Budding, professional and social media photographers were tasked with capturing ‘Hometown Pride – Icons of the Central West’ as this year’s theme.
We had an overwhelming response and received more than 150 entries across the Junior and Open sections. We want to say a big thank you to everyone who entered. It certainly wasn’t an easy decision to select the winners, however; we are excited to announce this year’s prize winners. (also featured in the collage image, above)
The 2020 Central West is Best Photography Competition winners are:
Junior (Under 18yo)
1. Drinks at Dusk – Kaitlyn Rutledge (Woodstock)
2. 365 Times a Year – Campbell Miller (Guyong)
Open (18yo and over)
1. Shearing Time – Megan Rutherford (Blayney)
2. Iandra Church Nightscape – Leigh Kasey (Greenethorpe)
This year’s complete entries can be viewed on RDA Central West’s website gallery here.
This year some ‘Special Mentions’ have been made due to the outstanding quality admitted and a Travelling Exhibition is being planned for the months ahead. Look forward to the exhibition coming to a Central West town near you soon. Watch this space!
Community Building Partnership
closes this Friday 12 June – Don’t miss out!
Applications for the 2020 round of the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership grant closes this Friday, 12 June 2020. Don’t miss out!
The grant supports infrastructure projects that deliver positive social, environmental and recreational outcomes, while promoting community participation, inclusion and cohesion.
Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations and local councils are eligible to apply for grants of between $2,500 and $300,000.
RDA Central West welcomes The Entourage’s Andrew Morello
to host ‘Getting Back to Business’ – Register Now!
RDA Central West is excited to announce our partnership with The Entourage for a new, free and interactive webinar to help local businesses move forward and navigate the next chapter as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease and operations resume.
Andrew Morello, winner of the first Australian Apprentice TV series and Head of Business Development at The Entourage is an engaging speaker and passionate about sharing his successes with other entrepreneurs, business owners and investors to help them reach their full potential.
‘Getting Back to Business’ will provide small and medium businesses in the region with the confidence and tools to recharge and continue operating in a productive and effective manner. As an example, the webinar will look at practical sales strategies that can be implemented now to drive more traffic and generate more sales not only in person, but online and through social media marketing.
For more information about this valuable, online event, visit RDA Central West’s website here .
‘Getting Back to Business’ is a free event but registrations are essential.
The Entourage’s ‘Reboot 2020 Digital Summit
Tuesday, 16 June 2020
RDA Central West is happy to support The Entourage’s upcoming event ‘Reboot 2020 Digital Summit’ on Tuesday, 16 June 2020.
For this ‘Reboot 2020’ event, The Entourage are bringing together some of the world’s foremost entrepreneurs to share exactly how to adapt and grab the advantage. A lineup of exceptional entrepreneurs have been assembled. So, join The Entourage live and online, and take a page out of the playbook that these industry leaders use.
For all the information about the presenters, the event and how to register your free spot now, visit here.
Mentors Announced for new TEN4TEN Leadership Dialogue
Don’t Miss Out – Applications close in just 10 days!
Ten community champions have been announced as the mentors for RDA Central West’s inaugural TEN4TEN Leadership Dialogue Program which was recently launched at Robertson Park, Orange.
The leaders come from a range of backgrounds, industries and sectors. Mentors will take on the role to guide ten selected students from Year 11 students across Orange, Blayney and Cabonne.
The mentors will offer participating students’ advice, support and expertise in their field. There is great value in the program for senior students as they navigate their final two years at high school and consider what opportunities lie ahead after graduation. TEN4TEN offers another source of guidance and a new perspective on what careers they could potentially pursue in the Central West region.
Students are reminded that applications CLOSE in only 10 days on Friday, 19 June 2020 and can be submitted online via the RDA Central West website here.
Read more about the specifics of the program, the full list of mentors and their bios along with how to apply. Make the most of this fantastic and rare opportunity.
Some of the TEN4TEN mentors gathered recently for the launch and are pictured above, they are L-R:
Pip Brett, Owner of Jumbled and Iglou (The Sonic); Phil Dodds, CEO of Phocas; Andrew Gee MP, Federal Member for Calare and Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment and Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education;Kate Lorimer-Ward, Deputy Director General at Department of Primary Industries; Cr Reg Kidd, Mayor of Orange City Council; Gabriel Franklyn, Mining Engineer at Cadia Valley Operations;Julia Andrews, Director of External Engagement at Charles Sturt University – Bathurst and Orange Campuses.
Business Breakfast Series interviews Sam Farraway MLC
Tune in LIVE!
Join RDA Central West CEO, Sam Harma for a cuppa and a conversation this Friday morning as part of our Business Leaders Breakfast series. This week Sam chats with with Sam Farraway MLC, member of the NSW Upper House since October 2019.
Born and bred in the Central West and with a strong background in small business, Sam understands how hard regional businesses work to ensure that our local economies are sustainable, even in the toughest of times.
To find out more about Sam Farraway and what he has to say, grab a cuppa and tune in to our Facebook page here at 8am this Friday, 12 June. We’ll see you there with warm coffee in hand!
STEM 2020 ON DEMAND Extended!
If you haven’t yet registered for the STEM 2020 On Demand Conference, don’t worry, it has been extended until 27 July 2020!
This means access for another two months to some amazing keynote speakers, Q&A sessions, workshop presentations, downloadable resources and more inspiring content. Click through to the website here to find out all the details.
You can quickly register for Stem 2020 On Demand directly here.
Round Four of the Building Better Regions Fund Announced
Round Four of the Building Better Regions Fund has been announced and the Central West was very successful with 13 infrastructure projects and 3 under the Community Investments Stream.
Round Four focused on supporting drought affected communities which is great for local jobs and community resilience and RDA Central West was proud to support our region and advocate for many of these successful projects.
Infrastructure Stream:
- Condobolin Tourism Precinct stage three – $450,000
- Canowindra’s Tom Clyburn Oval lighting upgrade – $200,000
- Cudal Showground power and water infrastructure upgrade – $95,091
- Condobolin Preschool Expansion – $200,000
- Lake Cargelligo Swimming Pool amenities upgrade – $825,000
- Eugowra Medical Centre redevelopment – $124,000
- Manildra Preschool Early Learning Centre bathroom upgrade – $50,400
- Molong Showground amenities upgrade – $170,000
- Molong’s Dr Andrew Ross Memorial Recreation Ground lighting upgrade – $200,000
- Blayney’s King George Oval amenities upgrade – $750,000
- Bathurst Animal Rehoming Centre – $925,000
- Eugowra Multi-Purpose Community Centre stage one – $492,410
- Cowra’s Yalbillinga Boori Multi-Purpose Centre solar power system – $20,000
- Oberon Outdoors Festival – $18,500
- Cowra Shire Council ‘Word’ performing arts project – $20,000
- Lithgow Halloween 2020 – $47,000
Access to REMPLAN
RDA Central West now has access to economic and community data through REMPLAN. REMPLAN are specialists in providing area-specific data. They are a team of economists, planners, demographers, economic development specialists, analysts and software developers who create online analytical tools and information resources.
This data can provide an interesting snapshot of both the economic and social composition of our regions, as well as estimate how changes to employment numbers or output across an individual sector/s will impact the economic output across the region.
If you would like further information about REMPLAN, or are seeking specific data to support your grant application, please contact RDA Central West’s Grants Officer via email: grants@rdacentralwest.org.au