Westside Christian College’s annual Business Breakfast is becoming big business. On Thursday 16th March, more than 100 students will have the opportunity to learn about the corporate and charitable world.
More than just a networking event, students with have the opportunity to learn more about the corporate world by talking directly to a number of industry professionals at the Breakfast. Business, Legal Studies and Accounting students will gain valuable insight into what life is like after high school by chatting to the professionals and asking an array of questions at the Thursday event.
Westside students and community business leaders at the annual Business Breakfast
Placed at different tables with industry professionals and university students, Westsiders will have opportunities to ask about further study and tips to get their foot in the door with future employment opportunities. From international to small business, the professionals have backgrounds in journalism, law and business and marketing. Most exciting of all is the keynote speaker, Orange Sky Laundry founder, Alex Jacoby.
Providing laundry services and genuine conversation for the homeless and houseless, Orange Sky Laundry has risen to become the face of 21st century innovative services for those on the outskirts of society.
Through Jacoby’s keynote address, students will come to realise the importance of philanthropy, humility and social responsibility. To Karen Pike, organiser of the event and Accounting/Business Management teacher, Jacobs’s presence sums up the purpose of the breakfast: “Westside is a part of the Ipswich Community. We cannot talk business without justice.” Reflecting on the purpose of the breakfast, she recalls “it’s exciting to see that what we are teaching in our Business Management, Accounting, Legal and IT classrooms is also going on in the “real” world of business.”
College Principal, Barry Leverton, fully endorses the event, “Each year, it keeps getting bigger and bigger. In the first year, we only had 60 people participate, but now it’s well over 100.” He continues, “It’s not just students who are eager: business leaders are just as excited.”
Reflecting on her experience of meeting Satellite editor, Ashleigh Howarth, one student noted “She was a fountain of information and very engaging. She gave lots of tips on how to enter the field. She was funny and spoke to each one of us at the table.” Commenting in a resulting news article, Howarth would write, “When I was younger, I received lots of industry advice from professionals, and I am so happy that I could return the favour.”
Some quick statistics:
- More than 10 high-achieving university students will provide a bridge between schooling life and the real-world;
- More than 30 business leaders from IT, HR, Marketing, Accounting, Law, Tourism and journalism sectors;
- More than 100 Senior students from Westside;
- Orange Sky Laundry washes over 6.9 tonnes of laundry every week and provides over 1300 hours of genuine conversation weekly;
- This is the fourth year Goodna RSL has hosted the event.
For more information, contact Mrs Karen Pike, Accounting and Business Studies teacher.
Westside Christian College. Achieving. Belonging. Caring.
