TAFE tourism business plans win award
22 November 2005
Belinda Calvert
An Essendon student has taken out the $600 first prize in the Kangan Batman TAFE Young Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition for her innovative 'Conversation Starter' restaurant.
Belinda Calvert's business plan for a dating café and restaurant based in Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds aims to provide a safe, relaxed and intimate setting for mature people to meet, converse and mingle. The restaurant incorporated the use of conversation starter cards with topics to help clients initiate contact without those awkward silences.
Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson presented the 2005 Young Entrepreneur Business Plan awards at Kangan Batman TAFE on Monday 21 November at 2.30pm at the Broadmeadows campus in Pearcedale Parade.
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.
The competition, which is in its third and final year, was judged by independent judges Darcy Provatas from Tourism Victoria, Bernie Cooney from RetireInvest, and Mary and Enzo Pollifroni from Polly Bar, a local hospitality business.
Kangan Batman TAFE received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources to run the competition. The funding is 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 $400 was won by international student, Rizwan Nazir of Coburg for his Global Halal Restaurant. The third prize of $300 was shared between Louise Jenkinson of Sunbury for her Twisted Whiskers jazz bar, and Megan Koeleman of Westmeadows for her environmentally friendly accommodation, The Green Beanies. All prizes are to be taken as travel, to expand the students' industry knowledge.
The Rotary Club of Melbourne North also contributed towards three special commendation awards, which were also presented at the ceremony. The winners were Jedda Doidge of Montmorency for the Sweet Chocolate Café, Daniel Maschio of Bundoora for Hiding Under a Peach Tree and Afroza Khanan of Glenroy for the International Students' Dining and Accommodation business.
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."
Media note:
Photo opportunities will be available during the presentation in the Auditorium at 2.30pm or afterwards from 3.30 pm at Richards Restaurant, Broadmeadows campus, Pearcedale Parade.
Background information can be found at www.kangan.edu.au/yebp
