Students develop and refine skills

Warragul’s future business leaders honed their business skills during a five day program at Warragul Regional College.

Teams of students developed and refined a new business idea with a social conscience, with about 140 students taking part in the challenge.

Business ideas included creating shirts promoting change to end domestic violence, affordable counselling for family members of people suffering from mental illness and a service to sell dairy products to boutique business in efforts to deliver fair prices for farmers. Another business focussed on making it easier for teenagers to access contraception.

The challenge was facilitated by illuminate Education with the support of Deakin University in association with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, who covered the costs to bring this program to the region and allow more students to participate.

Founder of illuminate Education and finalist for Young Australian of the Year in 2015 Adam Mostogl said the aim of the week is to inspire young people that they can start their own business, giving them practical steps on how they can do it right now.

“In the program, students learn about a range of business areas, including finance, marketing, presenting their idea as well as strategic planning; all around a brand-new business idea they are coming up with in the challenge,” he said.

“Along the way they receive mentoring and advice from industry leaders and business people in the community –helping them to present a business that is realistic in five short days.

The week culminates with the students presenting their work and an awards ceremony, which is attended by members of the community to celebrate their achievement.”

illuminate Education has inspired more than 7500 Australian students to start their own business through programs since 2010 and are in Warragul for the first time after working across Victoria for the past three years.

The program came to Warragul with the strong support of the leadership of Warragul Regional College as well as Deakin University’s Faculty of Business and Law to help more students understand the opportunities that are available to them through business and generally easing the transition to university for students in the community.

To find out more about the program, www.illuminateeducation.com.au/nextgen. see

Pieces of jewellry were stolen from a house in Yarragon last week.

The jewellry was stolen from a house in Nine Mile Rd overnight on July 29.

The thieves entered the house by using a jemmy to force a bathroom window.

A storage unit in Drouin was broken into between July 11 and July 30.

The burglary occurred at the unit in Weerong Rd, Drouin.

A portable fridge and metal Sidchrome tool chest were stolen