Last week saw the launch of the second phase of the HunterNet Future Leaders Program, an initiative developed to equip emerging professionals with coaching and mentoring to enable participants to make the transition in to leadership roles.
Since April, participants have been exposed to a variety of leadership topics at fortnightly events. They have now been allocated to teams and appointed a mentor and will now begin to apply their skills and energy to research and then build a business case for pursuit of industry growth in the Hunter.
With a theoretical working budget of $2m, teams will need to develop a formal submission and then present their vision to a panel of the local leaders in a bid to win Hunter Future Leaders title for 2015. The mentors for 2015 are Neill Bell, Ivan Waterfield, Leah Gabolinsycle and Darren Sutton.
HunterNet Future Leaders Liaison, Merran Wiggins, said that they and their members recognise the need for industry within the Hunter to diversify and broaden the horizon of the region.
“This diversification may be into new markets, new geographies or through new technologies and innovative ways of doing business,” Merran said.
“The teams have the opportunity to show case their ideas and developed strategies, with the real potential for their concepts to be taken on and developed further by industry leaders and/or Government.”
“The project has been developed with a great deal and effort from young leaders from the region, including Sabina Anderson, Pierre Gouhier and Ed Riley. Karl Putnis – HunterNet Project Director and Steve Tolley – HunterNet Director and Future Leaders Program Chair round out the members of the Program Committee.”
The winners of the program will be announced at the Future Leaders Gala Ball and Award Presentation in November.
HunterNet is widely recognised within Australian manufacturing and academia as the most successful industry ‘cluster’ of its type nationally. The organisation involves over 200 companies, active in national and international infrastructure and asset management, energy and resources, defence and advanced manufacturing supply chains.
“In establishing the program, HunterNet focused on combining the strengths of both the academic and professional application of leadership in industry. Our goal was to connect course participants with the best practitioners and leaders from within the Hunter Region and beyond,” Merran concluded.
Image | Neill Bell, Leah Gabolinsycle Karl Putnis, Darren Sutton, Steve Tolley, Ivan Waterfield
Photograph courtesy of Darren J Burns, Action Productions Australia.
