03 August 2011

Advantage SA’s award-winning Speakers in Schools program, which educates and inspires the State’s future leaders about the myriad of career opportunities available in South Australia, will visit Mount Gambier this Thursday and Friday.  

The visiting speakers, Edward Milne from SKILLED and Steve Blackman from DANIK Engineering, will speak to students at Mt Gambier High School, St Martins Lutheran College, McDonald Park R-7 School and the Rotary Careers Expo at the Mt Gambier TAFE SA campus about the great career opportunities that exist within the State.

Advantage SA CEO Karen Raffen said the Speakers in Schools program is essential in educating students about the variety of career options available to them in South Australia.   

“The Speakers in Schools program plays a vital role in exposing students to the diversity of industries and rewarding career paths available to them in South Australia,” Ms Raffen said. 

“The program is crucial to attracting and retaining young talent in South Australia. The Mount Gambier tour is one of four regional tours that the Speakers in Schools program conducts each year to provide young people across the State with the opportunity to hear from South Australian professionals about the many opportunities that the State offers.” 

Edward Milne, Executive Regional Manager, SKILLED, has had a wide range of experience in the recruitment industry, and is keen to share his passion with the students of Mount Gambier.

“Not one day is ever the same as another, and it is all about people, people leadership, people management and inspiring people to do the very best they can every time the attempt something,” Mr Milne says. 

Speakers in Schools is a fantastic opportunity to help motivate and inspire students when they are at a crucial point of study in years 10 and 11. I was very uninspired by my “career counselling session” when at high school, so the chance to give people an inspiring message of following their dreams, but needing to work hard to achieve them seemed like the best thing I could do. 

Steve Blackman, Principal Engineer, DANIK Engineering, also has a passion for inspiring students follow their dreams.

“It’s nice to get the opportunity to give students insights into what is out there for them, from someone other than a teacher or their parents. Most kids respond to a third party better than those who are close to them,” Mr Blackman said.

“I enjoy the instantaneous feedback and the feeling of gaining the students’ interest and activating them to think about things all around them in a different way.”

Advantage SA’s Program & Event Coordinator Alexandra Tedesco will accompany the speakers on the tour visiting Mount Gambier on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 August 2011.

The Speakers in Schools program was recognised late last year by the Technology Industry Association, receiving the Support of Education Award at their 2010 annual awards dinner.

Advantage SA’s award winning Speakers in Schools program is proudly supported by the Government of South Australia, BHP Billiton, Credit Union SA and UniSA.