Diploma in Sustainability Presentation Day Showcases Students' Lean and Green Talents

19 July 2011

David Bentley (left) presenting the benefits that studying the Diploma of Sustainability has had on the organisation he works for: Victoria Carpets

On July 12, 2011, Kangan Institute hosted the Diploma in Sustainability industry work based projects presentation session at our Essendon campus. This program was funded by the International Fibre Centre (IFC) and proved to be a significant success.

Six organisations from various locations throughout Victoria participated in this project.

Throughout the process of undertaking this course, participants were provided with the knowledge and skills to apply sustainability practices within their workplace. The aim was to improve business and environmental sustainability in the fibre and textile industry.

The bigger picture was to embed sustainability into all business decisions, at all levels of the organisation and operational stages, without financial detriment, or security issues affecting the business.

John Ferraro, teacher at the Centre for Competitive Operations (CCO) at Kangan Institute, said he was extremely proud of how far the students had come.

"Wastage at the workplace is a major unnecessary cost to businesses around the country," he said.

"We can all do our part to reduce these extra costs, which not only effect industry's bottom line, but our vulnerable environment as well. I'm thrilled to see how far our participants have come and take great pride in the knowledge that they're taking the knowledge back to their respective workplaces and implementing real changes for real results."

John Ferraro, teacher at the Centre for Competitive Operations (CCO) at Kangan Institute, introducing the course participants as well as providing an overview of the program

David Bentley, graduate of the course from Victoria Carpets noted the ways in which he'd managed to reduce waste at the workplace and the professional delivery of the course itself.

"It was quite refreshing to be able to use the knowledge gained from the course immediately upon returning to work," he said.

"The individual subjects were delivered in such a practical way that the new techniques and systems could be implemented fairly quickly to identify and develop the strategies to improve the operations of the company."

The ways in which the participants implemented changes at their workplaces varied; with some indicating that they were creating sustainability committees within their organisations for future strategies while others detailing practical and thorough modifications of their work practices to reduce waste and work via a Lean approach (first developed at Toyota's Japan headquarters).

The six companies participating were:

• Australian Country Spinners located in Wangaratta (participant: Malcolm Grosse).
• Supertrim located in Ringwood (participant: Calvin Cully).
• Marion Liese located in Mordialloc (participant: Chris Hamblin).
• Victoria Carpets located in Dandenong (participant: David Bentley).
• Heslop Contract Casters located in Reservoir (participant: Ben Smith).
• Raeline located in Bayswater (participants: Melissa Parry and Anthony Regan).

For more information please contact Yves Makhoul on 03 9094 3062 or email ymakhoul@kangan.edu.au.