COVID-19 wasn’t going to put a stop to Binnacle Training hosting its seventh annual VET in Schools Conference (ViSC) for teachers, with the Brisbane-based RTO investing over $100k to create an event with world-class technology and a line-up of some of Australia’s most esteemed speakers. 

Binnacle joined forces with Brisbane software development company, We Are Flip, to custom-build a cutting-edge platform on which to stage a virtual event and ensure that teachers from their partner schools could still access the much-anticipated annual professional development conference. 

Binnacle teachers will be able to live stream content from industry experts as well as trailblazing speakers such as “the GPS Girl”, Karen Jacobsen, and Ali Hill, CEO of AFR Fast 100 company, Pragmatic Thinking, via interactive technology that allows them to take part from the comfort of their home or classroom. 

Aaron Bulow, CEO and Founder of Binnacle Training, said the annual conference is a crucial part of their program delivery system and they were determined to provide a world class event, especially as most professional development opportunities for teachers were cancelled throughout the year.

“Binnacle Training thrives on innovation and our ViSC2020 will showcase what a small team and a dream can achieve.”

Binnacle stopped at nothing when assembling the keynote speakers for ViSC 2020, the theme of which is Broaden Your Horizons, with speakers hailing from a broad cross section of industries, including sport, fitness, first aid, business and tourism, in line with Binnacle’s VET in Schools programs. Plus, Aussie comedy treasure Mel Buttle will offer light relief for the day. 

Teachers will hear from:

• Best-selling author, Educator of the Year recipient, psychologist, and CEO of AFR Fast 100 company, Pragmatic Thinking, Ali Hill 
• The youngest person in the world to run an ultra-marathon runner on all 7 continents, and mental health ambassador, Jacqui Bell
• AFL’s first female Grand Final Umpire and author, researcher and Winston Churchill Fellow, Chelsea Roffey
• Andrew ‘Pap’ Papadopoulos, one of Australia’s leading personal trainers, founder of The 365 Program and Co-founder of the Trek4Vets foundation
• Business whiz, Gen Windley, who spearheaded the Scenic Rim Farm Box initiative in the midst of COVID
• Aussie treasure and ex-teacher, Mel Buttle, will provide the comedic relief with her quick wit and hilarious anecdotes

Aligning with the launch of Binnacle’s new tourism offering for schools, Karen Jacobsen, who is best known as “the GPS Girl” and was recently named as the voice of the $1 million ‘Wonders of the Whitsundays’ campaign, will deliver a moving session on ‘Recalculating the Tourism Industry’. 

Binnacle will also offer bonus on-demand content, that will be available to registered attendees before and after the conference, that includes speakers such as Australia’s youngest social entrepreneur and 2014 Young Australian of the Year (Queensland), Taj Pabari, leading allied health industry professional, Naomi Ferstera, and the Science and Education Manager for Queensland Trust for Nature (QTFN), Renee Rossini.

Bulow says the Binnacle team is proud to be bringing this event to life. 

“We work closely with our teachers and know how tough they’ve had it this year, and ViSC 2020 will be like no other conference they’ve experienced. 

“We’re also looking to make this content available to other high schools and educators following the live event as we know it will be of enormous benefit to anyone working in the VET space.”

For more information on the event head to the Binnacle Training VISC 2020 website: https://www.binnacletraining.com.au/events/virtual-visc-2020-pd-vet-event/ To contact Binnacle about accessing your invitation to the Conference, head to the website – https://www.binnacletraining.com.au/connect/

Girls have ‘bossed’ the inaugural Queensland-wide Binnacle Boss competition aimed to uncover the state’s budding school-aged entrepreneurs.

Brisbane-based RTO, Binnacle Training, launched Binnacle Boss in June this year, providing Queensland high school students with an opportunity to turn their enterprising ideas into a bonafide business with a 2-3 minute video pitch.

Girls from Unity College on the Sunshine Coast and Mary Mackillop College in Brisbane have taken out the top 2 spots with videos judged on their creativity, impact and innovation by an expert panel of successful business owners, including Leanne Kemp, Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur.

Winner, Millie Gallacher from Unity College, is taking on plastic pot manufacturers with her business KookDreems. She uses calico bags, as an alternative to plastic pot plants, which can either be used as pots or planted directly into the ground where they biodegrade quickly. Watch her video here. 

Charlotte Hahn, Sarah Dyson & Sahara Williamson from Mary Mackillop College created their business, Smooch, to develop organic, naturally moisturising lip balm that’s produced using eco-friendly practices but with bright colours and tasty flavours like bubblegum and strawberry & cream. Watch their video here.

The win for Millie is a Business Starter Package worth over $5,000, with mentoring and financing sessions, marketing collateral, podcast exposure, work experience, and access to potential investors to further develop her business. The girls from Smooch will receive a Business Starter Package valued at $1500.

Rounding out the top four, are Fresh Foodies, also from Unity College on the Sunshine Coast, who create fresh, ethically-sourced and fun food enhancement products such as Caramelized Balsamic Glaze. Check their video here. Representing for the Gold Coast and Assisi College, are the boys from Check In, who wish to develop a free app to increase awareness, and decrease the rate of youth suicides. See more about their app idea here.

Aaron Bulow, Binnacle Training CEO, said the Binnacle team was delighted to see so many fantastic entries in their inaugural year, especially amidst the turmoil that COVID-19 created with curriculum in classrooms this year.“Students had to adapt to online learning and take more personal responsibility for staying on top of study so we were really impressed that these students took the time to participate and develop these outstanding business ideas and videos. It looks like Gen Z is in good hands.”

Find out more about Binnacle Boss

Recently, the Certificate II & III in Sport and Recreation students at Emmanuel College (Gold Coast) participated in an Industry experience day.

The Year 11 students went to KDV Sports for the day where they gained experience in golf, tennis, panel tennis and gym. The Year 12 students visited Urban Xtreme and enjoyed rock climbing, a ninja warrior course, laser tag and transitioning trampolines.

The students are loving their course and enjoyed the skill development and real world knowledge that they gained on the day.

A special thank you to the teachers at Emmanuel College for keeping us updated on the students progress and sending through these great photos. If your school is doing something similar, please make sure you send it through to your Binnacle Program Manager. We love hearing about it!

Find out more about our courses

55% of youth are open to changing their plans to optimise career stability and future financial security.

Just Skillsroad’s finished the 2020 Youth Skills Survey, COVID-19 struck, upending plans and scrambling lives across the world. So they we tried again. The Skillsroad 2020 COVID-19 Youth Review focuses on the pandemic’s impact on young Australians (so far), and how this translates into actionable insights for parents, educators and employers.

Download the full report here.

Are you ready to – BROADEN YOUR HORIZON

There’s no excuse to miss out on this year’s ViSC, because we are going virtual. All you need to do is roll out of bed and log in!

We’re going to be finishing 2020 with a bang. This year we’ve got Ali Hill from Pragmatic Thinking to kick off the day and we will be launching our NEW Tourism Program.

This won’t be like any virtual event you have seen, our conference platform has been custom-built especially for our event. Get your first-hand taste of conference innovation and what events of the future will look like at ViSC.

For the first time ever all of our teachers will be attending the same ViSC.

Not only that Binnacle Training’s Virtual ViSC will satisfy your Industry & VET PD for 2020.

What are you waiting for? Grab your tickets to our Virtual ViSC today. HERE

Want to know more about Virtual ViSC check out the event page HERE

ANDREW RICKERTT – JOBSKILLS QUEENSLAND

Our friend Andrew Rickertt from Jobskills Queensland, sat down and gave us some sage advice on “Things to remember when applying for a job”.

Here are his top 3 tips.

1. Know what the employer is after, once you understand the job you should tailor your resume to suit the role.
2. Research the business – the more you understand the better you will be able to answer the questions.
3. Understand you capabilities – this helps when answering you strengths and weaknesses.

What the video for more tips and tricks to learn the best way on how to get that job.

See the full video HERE Job Skills Queensland website