TAFE tourism student entrepreneurs win awards
23 November 2004
An international student from Germany and a Kensington student have teamed up to take out first prize of $2,000 in the Kangan Batman TAFE Young Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition.
The competition was open to all of the institute's final year tourism and hospitality management Advanced Diploma students, and required entrants to develop a business plan for a viable new Victorian tourism business.
Benjamin Schmidt-Pereira and Kathryn Sweeney worked together to develop a business plan for their concept, 4 Reasons, which won them the top prize in the competition, which was judged by independent judges from Tourism Victoria, RetireInvest and a local tourism business.
Benjamin is originally from Germany and was Kangan Batman TAFEs International Student of the Year in 2003.
Kangan Batman TAFE received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources to run the competition. The funding was part of the National Innovation Awareness Strategy's Promoting Young Entrepreneurs Initiative, a national scheme that aims to promote entrepreneurial activity in Australia.
The second prize of $1,000 was won by Nikoletta Szkibik, while the third prize of $350 went to equal winners Elizabeth Kolev and Glen Stirling. Prizes are to be taken as travel, to expand the students' industry knowledge.
The Rotary Club of Melbourne North provided four special commendation awards, which were also presented at the ceremony.
Manager of Kangan Batman's Hospitality, Travel and Tourism department, Christine Pontin, said the competition gives the students more than just prizes.
"This competition is the culmination of a year's work for our Advanced Diploma students, and the business and entrepreneurial skills they have developed will prove invaluable in their future careers," Ms Pontin said.
"Our graduates are snapped up by the industry because of the experience and knowledge we give them during the course. They learn what it takes to operate a successful tourism business through an industry study-tour and guest speaker lecture series, where they meet business operators and the students even stage their own travel expo."
"We may not be as large or as well-known as some other hospitality and tourism training providers, but small is often better when it comes to training, as we can give our students more one-on-one attention."
Winners of the 2004 Kangan Batman TAFE Young Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition
1st Place - $2,000 Prize
Winner: Benjamin Schmidt-Pereira & Kathryn Sweeney
Proposed Business: 4 Reasons
4 Reasons will be a five-star holiday destination located in Kyneton in the Macedon Ranges, which combines four aspects of the tourism/hospitality industry and is well suited to cater for both the corporate and the leisure market. The business will be eco-friendly throughout and follows sustainable practices. It will offer accommodation in 25 individual and innovative bungalows, a health and well-being centre, a restaurant and bar, and conference facilities that can cater for up to 100 delegates. The business highlights Ayurvedic health treatments, which are unique in regional Victoria.
2nd Place - $1,000 Prize
Winner: Nikoletta Szkibik
Proposed Business: Six Senses Retreat
Six Senses Retreat will provide an intimate and indulgent, eco-sensitive, luxury camping experience. The business will focus on the short-break market, due to the close proximity of the Macedon Ranges to Melbourne. The tents are fully furnished with a modern and minimalist approach. Guests can dine under the stars, relax in the spa and indulge with gourmet food and local robust wines. The retreat is exclusive, catering only for six couples, to ensure a tranquil experience and minimise the impact on the environment.
3rd Place - $350 Prize
Joint Winners: Elizabeth Kolev and Glen Stirling
Elizabeth's Proposed Business: Whine Dhine Bar
The Whine Dhine Bar is a 50-seater wine bar/restaurant located in Toorak Road, South Yarra. The main aspects of the business are food and wine matching menus, live jazz, Latin and strings music, and fine dining with a relaxed style of service. Upstairs will have a lounge area with a fireplace and a tapas menu and live music. Downstairs will have an a-la-carte menu that will use the live music as a background. The business will feature musical students from the Victorian College of the Arts and the Conservatorium of Music who will perform recitals.
Glen's Proposed Business: Tall Gums B 'n B Retreat and Tall Gums Animal Farm
Tall Gums will offer a four-star, self-contained bed and breakfast retreat for up to five guests, and an educational animal farm catering for primary school groups, the public and children's birthday parties. It is set in 25 acres of native bushland near the township of Lancefield and will offer guests free use of the onsite three-hole golf course, fishing gear for the trout stocked dam, bicycles and admission to the animal farm. The animal farm will offer school groups a practical and theoretical farm experience. It has a range of animals, large sheltered gazebos, BBQ's, play equipment and picnic grounds.
Special Commendation Awards - Prizes sponsored by the Rotary Club of Melbourne North
Carly Basso
Lisa Boyall
Allese Shilling
Elif Tanriverdi
Background information can be found at www.kangan.edu.au/yebp
