Amlink received more than 60 applications for the 10 scholarships, valued at $3000 each, from universities and colleges running Amlink’s education initiative, the Rising Star Program.
One of the scholarship recipients, Grace Harris, has been studying an Associate Degree in Business majoring in Event Management, a two year full-time tertiary program at the International College of Management Sydney (ICMS), since February 2007.
Passionate to get started, Grace entered the national Nescafe Big Break competition in 2005 with a business plan for a proposed event company specialising in children’s party planning. Grace was selected as a semi-finalist of the Nescafe Big Break and followed through with her business plan, hiring a friend to assist in running children’s parties while she managed the planning and parent negotiations.
“Not only was this business venture great fun, it was also very profitable and we were in high demand,” Grace said.
While completing her studies, Grace has undertaken industry placement working on events such as the Sports Performer of the Year Award, the launch of the Women’s Health magazine, Opera House and Taronga Zoo fundraising balls and the Australian Export Awards. Grace is also an active participant in the YMEA forum created by Meeting Events Australia.
Amlink’s chief operations officer, Trevor Gardiner, says “event management today is as much about efficient use of technology as effective planning and communication skills.”
In 2007, Amlink produced a rigorous 22-week event management courseware for its eventsPro software which was rolled out to client universities and colleges for incorporation in their training modules. The two-part exam at the end of the courseware tests both knowledge and application to ensure students are geared for the workforce.
James A. Pappas, CEO of Amlink’s parent company, Certain Software, remarks, “The Amlink Rising Star program is an important investment in the development of the future professionals who will be using our technology everyday. We are proud to support them as they begin their successful careers in the global meetings and events industry.”
• Leah Bowie, Brisbane North Institute of TAFE
• Ebony Flett Victoria University
• Grace Harris, International College of Management Sydney
• Laura Hutchison, Sunshine Coast TAFE College
• Timothy Jackson, Hunter Institute of TAFE - Hamilton Campus
• Sarah Jones, Southern Cross University
• Sam Kelly, TAFE Sydney Institute
• Stephanie McMullen, Canberra Institute of Technology
• Lynn Ricketts, Southbank Institute of Technology
• Sarah Stefano, TAFE WA - Northbridge Campus
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