Education & training

The second leg of my Nuffield Scholarship Global Focus Program took us to Ontario, Canada. The Greater Toronto Area, with a population of approximately 6.4 million, is experiencing rapid population and economic growth.

Andrew Mole. The Rotary Club of Kerang’s annual spelling bee was back big time – and you could feel the buzz around this month’s 25/27th anniversary event. A hugely popular primary school showdown, pre-Covid-19, it was regularly pulling 90 or more contestants from years 4, 5 and 6 in schools across Gannawarra Shire.

Corryong College students Seb Rowlinson, Layne Klippel and Zoe McKimmie were three of nine young people who were accepted to participate in the recent Kimberley Cultural Extension Trip program. Seb reports on the trip ... "We hopped into the utes and hit the road, headed for El Questro Station. After a three-hour drive ..."

Charles Sturt University is opening its doors to Year 11 and 12 students to give them the best chance at success for their HSC exams. The University will open its libraries across its Wagga Wagga, Albury-Wodonga, Orange, Bathurst, Dubbo and Port Macquarie campuses, as well as online, to allow students free access to study spaces and educational materials.

During the last week of Term 4 Nhill College had their Year 10s out on Work Experience. Students were placed in Adelaide, Bordertown, Kaniva, Nhill, Rainbow, Horsham, Bendigo, Ballarat and Melbourne.

Mallee Accommodation and Support Program’s Youth Mentoring Program is headed to Tasmania from Saturday for a five-day hike through the Tasman Peninsula National Park. Since it began in 2006 the program has enriched the lives of over 220 underprivileged and disconnected youth in the Sunraysia area, supporting them through mentoring and exposing them to positive life experiences and challenges.

“The most profitable farms were those that spent more time working on their business than in their business,” Professor Ross Kingwell said in his presentation at BCG’s Main Field Day at Nullawil last week ... Professor Kingwell’s presentation was a highlight for many of the 400 growers and advisers who attended the event.

On Wednesday 11 September former and current staff, students and community members celebrated 50 years of Early Childhood Education at Allora P-10 State School. In 1974, long serving teacher-in-charge, Mrs Joyce Gibson oversaw the establishment of the Preschool centre, one of the first to open in Queensland.

I was recently facilitating a leadership workshop where one of the participants raised the question if we are losing the art of civility and respect in our society. The context was how we handle a divergence of views in a work or community setting. It seems nowadays the default political discord is to assume our view is right and your view is wrong, rather than respectfully listening to and exploring differing views.

Featuring Floodlights and James Range Band - 10 days of live music and workshops through remote communities in the Northern Territory ... Celebrated  live music and workshop program  Guts Touring  is back for another year, unveiling the two bands who will be performing throughout the Northern Territory for their 2024 program.

Sean Cunningham. Agvision Yanco took place last week to promote agricultural careers to hundreds of students from throughout the Riverina-Murray region. It is the biggest regional NSW interactive event which promotes careers in agriculture.

Bumble bees in Tasmania are being geared up with micro radio transmitters and cameras to help scientists uncover their environmental impact and crucial role in crop pollination. Delivered through Hort Innovation’s Frontiers investment program and led by Western Sydney University, the $3.3M initiative will produce a comprehensive large-scale study of the Buff-tailed Bumble bee.

Why is it that school teachers feel the need to torture the parents of their pupils? ... younger son for some reason decided to learn the violin. The teacher even let him bring it home to practice ... Ode to a Violin ...

A fantastic one day horse archery clinic will be conducted in Narrandera this Sunday ... subject to there being sufficient entries. Enthusiasts are invited to come and learn in a safe and fun environment from one of the Australian World Championships Team members and top 100 ranked horse archers in the world.

Over the Father's Day weekend I was out having a family lunch at a restaurant full of families celebrating father’s day, recognising their fathers and grandfathers. It got me thinking about my dear Dad, and how I have fathered my children and now grandchildren.   Being a dad is the most rewarding – challenging – difficult – all-consuming leadership role any father undertakes - There is no rule book. There is no greater leadership challenge than parenting.

Have you been swotting up for your quizzamination? Let's see! 1. What part of the world is nearly encircled by the "Ring of Fire"?2....

Rachel Hagan. Since 1966, Scotch College has had a licence agreement with the Department for Environment and Water which has allowed them to use Mayibarrdu/Goose Island for immersive outdoor camp experiences ... Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Doug Milera said the board was thrilled the island was returning to the Narungga people, who plan to open it up for everyone to use and visit.

In a display of community spirit, the Year 11 and 12 Vocational Major Personal Development Skills class of 2024 at Donald High School have chosen to undertake a series of projects aimed at improving our local community. They have been joined by the Donald High School Hands On Learning Group. The classes recently participated in a tree-planting day...

Dr Skye Charry. In December 2023, Australia enacted significant amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), enforcing a new era of workplace responsibility. Under this reform, all business owners, regardless of size, are mandated to take ‘reasonable and proportionate measures’ to eliminate sexual harassment and related harm ... For rural and regional businesses, this presents unique challenges.

Researchers at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, are leading the five-year ‘Landscapes’ program, looking at the health and function of Australia’s natural and managed ecosystems.  Administered through the innovative TERN project (Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network), the team will deliver important soil and landscape environmental data to support sustainable ecosystem management.  

Golf NSW Western Region Manager Gary Begg thought it would be a good idea to bring Senior Regional Manager for Jack Newton Junior Golf, Mark Ingrey to Wilcannia to show him the world of golf in the far west, and the struggles the Club has in maintaining the course, particularly in wet periods. They conducted four clinics … for students from both schools.

Having up-to-date first aid training could mean the difference between life and death for your family, friends and neighbours in an emergency situation ... Last week, Dawn Ferrier from TalkSmart Training was in Birchip to provide community members, childcare workers and sports trainers with the skills and knowledge required to keep their certification relevant.