BALLARAT ICT E-BULLETIN - 19 MAY 2009

Next UBTP & BITS Breakfast - Tuesday 21 July 2009

Register your interest with Marianne Drake via email m.drake@ballarat.edu.au or telephone 5327 9893.

Providing the tool kit for tomorrow's business
Design Capital - presented by Design Victoria

Australia’s premier business speaker series showcasing design vision, innovation, and strategies that provide a competitive edge in a challenging global economic environment. Discover how design investments will have positive impact on your business and learn about smart tools to survive and strategically react to rapidly changing global markets.   Click to read "Design Capital Speaker Series Brochure"
16-17 July, BMW Wedge, Federation Square, Melbourne

Book online and quote DV7509 to receive a 10% discount.
www.stateofdesign.com.au/business

SmartGreen - An Entrepreneurial Approach to Greening Small Business

In difficult times business operators are looking for clever and affordable ways to grow their enterprises. The locally developed SmartGreen program is helping small to medium enterprises in the region grow by gaining a ‘green' advantage over their competitors.

SmartGreen is delivered as a self-paced, online course accessible 24 hours a day, complemented by introductory workshops and e-mentoring. SmartGreen brings diverse businesses together online to interact, collaborate on green innovations and grow their business network.

Developed by the University of Ballarat's (UB) Centre for Regional Innovation and Competitiveness (CRIC) and the UB branch of the National Centre for Sustainability, SmartGreen offers great value for money as it is generously supported by AusIndustry, the City of Ballarat and the Committee for Ballarat.

Businesses completing the program become SmartGreen Associates and can take advantage of the increasing demand for services and supplies backed by sustainable practices.

SmartGreen encourages green entrepreneurship. It looks at ways to save costs and create new opportunities for clever business by accessing sustainable products, practices and green-savvy customers, so these businesses are well positioned for growth.

Leading local businesses are already implementing SmartGreen. Haymes Paint has recently implemented a sustainability strategy and sees opportunities for improvement and significant gains. King Print, has factored sustainability into the design of their new factory, along with everyday measures within the business to minimise business waste and reduce their carbon footprint.

Businesses can enrol online in SmartGreen and discover how to grow their business with sustainable practices and profits by visiting www.mysmartgreen.com.au or email cric@ballarat.edu.au. 

National ICT Careers Week - 27 July to 1 August 2009

This is a great opportunity to showcase the very bright and brilliant future of ICT to today's students and tomorrow's employees. Many activities and events have been planned across Australia.  A working group has been formed locally to plan events which will align with National ICT Careers Week.  Further details will follow.

Your organisation is encouraged to get involved.  If your organisation has not registered to participate, please register now at www.ictcareersweek.info/index.cfm?page=registration

If your organisation has registered to participate, please organise an event/activity during the week. There is no limit on how many events or activities you can run during the week and what types of activities. It could be as small as help promote the career week on your website, web banner and newsletter.

Visit www.ictcareersweek.info for ideas on activities being run during the week. Activities range from Academy Award winning animation directors, to an out of this world experience with virtual reality, to ‘real' life Robotics workshops, to various competitions.

Once you have registered, log on to www.ictcareersweek.info/index.cfm?page=registration and list your event.

Governor of Victoria Export Awards 2009 - ENTRIES NOW OPEN

The Governor of Victoria Export Awards has been running for 30 years and showcases the truly remarkable achievements of Victoria's export sector.

Winners of these major awards add value to their business by giving them a competitive advantage and virtual passport to overseas markets, increasing respect within their industry, raising awareness of their company and their products, and promoting company pride.

Award categories include:

• Education and Training Award
• Emerging Exporter Award
• Information and Communication Technology Award
• Regional Exporter Award
• Small Business Award
• Victorian Export Award for Innovation Excellence

To apply now go to the Export Awards website at:  http://www.exportawards.gov.au/vic

Applications close Friday 17 July 2009.

Click here to read more about the awards

ACS Networking Forum June

The Pros and Cons of Social Networking in a Business Context

We continue to hear about social networking rapidly taking over from email as a communication tool, particularly amongst younger workers. So how does this work within a workplace context? What are the implications for reasonable use of business time, HR policy, content and security? Why have some workplaces closed access to Facebook, MySpace or YouTube, and others allow full access to staff? Is there essentially any difference between the use of email and social networking? Can Social Networking increase work productivity or creativity or is it just a distraction?

At the June Branch Forum, come and find out what our panellists think about this topic and discuss the Pros and Cons of Social Networking in a business context. Our panellists come from academic, HR and information security point of view. Come along and take part in what promises to be an interesting discussion relevant to all of us in our working environment.

Moderated by Ian Wells FACS, ACS Victorian Board Chairman our guest panellists are:

• Dr Charlynn Miller, Lecturer, University of Ballarat, Graduate School of Information Technology & Mathematical Sciences
• Corry Brouwer, General Manager Technology Assurance & Global Information Security, ANZ
• David Talamelli, Principal Recruiter for Oracle Corporation in the APAC Region.

Venue: Telstra Theatrette, 242 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Date: Wednesday 17 June, 2009
Time: 5:30PM for 6.00pm
Cost: Members FREE - Non Members $20.00
PCP Hours: 2
Refreshments provided.

Click here for more information

Australia and New Zealand 2009 Internet Best Practice Awards.  
A collaboration between .au Domain Administration (auDA) and Internet NZ

The awards recognise and celebrate organisations, groups or individuals in Australia and New
Zealand that have embraced the challenge of making the Internet a secure, accessible, open or
diverse experience for all.
The Australia and New Zealand Awards are based upon Nominee's successful “Best Practice
Challenge” model which has been running since 2007. It is expected the local awards will deliver the
same benefits as those experienced in the UK:

• improved collaboration between government, industry, academia and civil society;
• engagement of new stakeholders in internet governance-related fora;
• raise the profile of Internet-related issues (and auDA and Internet NZ); and
• contribute to the development of national and regional Internet Fora

The 2009 Australia and NZ Internet Best Practice Awards provide a platform for regional
engagement on Internet-related issues – a proof-of-concept that could be expanded into the Pacific
in 2010. The initiative (and award winners) will be promoted at the 2009 United Nations Internet
Governance Forum (IGF) in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

Click here for more information

Smart SME's - Market Validation Program

The Call for Proposals stage (Stage 2) is set to open on 24 June 2009. Victorian Government departments will be releasing technology requirement specifications on this date via the website inviting small and medium businesses to propose technology solutions for them.  To view further information please click here

Please refer to the following website on/after 24 June market validation program website
or refer to Margot Ingoldby on 96551088 or margot.ingoldby@mmv.vic.gov.au

Commerce Ballarat

This week’s news and events http://www.commerceballarat.com.au/content.asp?pid=138135