Wanneroo Business Association Provides Business Introductions

Wanneroo Business Association Provides Business Introductions

As a member of Wanneroo Business Association, Megan Strong of Wanneroo Training Hub explains how she has benefited from introductions made to other organisations in the area, free as part of her membership.

The Wanneroo Training Hub is one of 10 being trialled across Australia, as part of the Morrison Government’s $50.6 million investment to improve opportunities for Year 11 and 12 students in regions with high youth unemployment. 

Each Training Hub is managed by a full-time Career Facilitator who will help create better links between schools and local industry.  Ms Megan Strong has been appointed as Career Facilitator to manage the Wanneroo Hub. The Career Facilitator plays an integral role in the Training Hub as an on-the-ground presence to map skills shortages and form local partnerships. 

Career Facilitators do not deliver similar services to those provided by career advisors in schools, Employment Facilitators, Apprenticeship Network Providers, Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) or other training or job matching services including jobactive.  The Career Facilitator works to improve connections between local stakeholders, to create sustainable employment outcomes for the region and the broader economy.

Megan explained that she was given business introductions to key stakeholders and community project team leads almost instantly from the first meeting with the Wanneroo Business Association (WBA).  WBA’s General Manager, Lauren, e-introduced Megan to key people within these groups, who Megan has been able to meet and begin collaboration with these connections within a matter of days. Megan added that “having the WBA and the local knowledge of business introductions to the right people in organisations has been invaluable so far.”

“One of the key strategies of the Wanneroo Industry Training Hub is to build partnerships with Industry, LGAs, Education Providers, Employers & Schools.  Through the business introductions made by the WBA, the Training Hub has been able to start forming these relationships rapidly and we are already scheduled to attend the P2S Rugbyworks Career Expo Day, attend the WA Small Business Day at the Allied Health Precinct and gain invaluable connections with the Economic Development Team at the City of Wanneroo.  These leads continue to provide further leads that will no doubt add to positive outcomes for the Wanneroo Industry Training Hub which then in turn means positive outcomes for the youth of Wanneroo.”

When asked if Megan would encourage other WBA members to ask for business introductions relevant to their businesses, she said “yes most definitely, there is much value in being able to connect with the right people and accessing local knowledge up front which the WBA is able to do.”

Megan is in the process of planning a Launch to officially open the Wanneroo Industry Training Hub which is based at the Yhub CoWorking Space in Yanchep. As a pilot program they are building networks and forming partnerships to be able to hold future events and projects to engage youth, industry and education providers to see VET as a sustainable and viable first choice career option.

Megan is looking forward to providing an opportunity to work with other WBA members to build support for Vocational Education Training (VET) as a first choice for young people and the benefits of the Hub to increase school based traineeships / apprenticeships for youth through networking and events etc.  She is also looking forward to connecting and learning about what it is that other members do and how the Training Hub can support them.

 More Information:

Website: https://www.dese.gov.au/industry-training-hubs

Contact Person: Megan Strong, megan.strong@cciwa.com

Phone: 0407 389 898