Bulletin

Issue: October 2004

News

Employability Challenge

La Trobe University won every prize in this year's inter-university Employability Skills Challenge, a competition between students from four Victorian universities - La Trobe, Victoria, Deakin and Swinburne.

Each university entered ten teams of students. They had an hour to deal with a hypothetical disaster and its aftermath - an aircraft crash in suburban Melbourne and subsequent re-development of the crash site. The scenario was designed and judged by the State Emergency Service, one of the sponsors.

La Trobe entered six teams from Menzies College, four from Glenn College and took out all four prize categories: overall winner, as well as the best environmental, technical and socially responsible solutions.

Apart from the SES, other sponsors were the Australian Institute of Management (AIM), National Power Services, the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, and the City of Melbourne.

La Trobe's Course and Careers Service helped organise the competition. Careers adviser, Patricia Brown, said the 'challenge' helps students hone their skills in problem solving, team work, time management, leadership and creative thinking.

Scott Weekley, a third year bachelor of business student at Menzies College, led the overall winning team. He said living and studying in a college community helped the team's success.

Each team had a mentor, drawn from the AIM. Head of Menzies College, Dr Michael Shortland, compered the event, which was held at Victoria University.

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