Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation (SOBO) is offering students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) a once in a life time opportunity to be part of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Broadcasting team.

Students from both the Bathurst and Wagga Wagga campuses, are participating in SOBO's Host Broadcast Training Program (HBTP) - an intensive training course where students are provided with technical skills in broadcasting. SOBO is the Host Broadcaster for the 2000 Olympic Games and is responsible for producing television and radio coverage of every Olympic event.

The organisation will provide more than 3,200 hours of coverage and will at Games Time employ around 3,400 staff. Nearly 100 Communication students from CSU Bathurst will take part in the HBTP from the 19 July, 1999 until 23 July, 1999. SOBO will be conducting four separate courses at Bathurst in the areas of broadcast liaison, videotape logging and as camera and audio assistants.

At Wagga Wagga, 90 Television Production students are being trained as camera assistants, videotape loggers, audio assistants and as camera control unit operators. Host Broadcast Training at Wagga takes place from the 9 August, 1999 until the 15 August, 1999.

SOBO Chief Operating Officer, Mr Gary Fenton said: "Television and radio broadcasting in Australia and throughout the world, is a highly competitive industry. This training program is a unique opportunity for students to give them a head start.

"We're very excited that regional New South Wales students at Charles Sturt University are able to participate in the Host Broadcast Training Program. It helps to illustrate that the whole of Australia is helping to make the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Australia's Games and a great success."

Vice-Chancellor of Charles Sturt University, Professor Cliff Blake, said to have this opportunity to work with some of the world's best media would be a career highlight for the CSU students.

"We are confident our communication and television production students will make a significant contribution to the success of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. For our students to gain hands-on experience with the Sydney Olympic Broadcasting Organisation will immeasurably enhance their employment prospects," Professor Blake said.

The Host Broadcast Training Program provides the students with valuable hands on experience in radio and television broadcasting. Subjects covered during the five day workshop include Production, Working on Location, Olympic Sports, Venue Operations, Camera Setup and Signal Distribution.

The workshop is the first phase of training. Students will be provided with work experience opportunities leading up to 2000 and also a follow-up refresher course. At the completion of the training, students will be targeted as potential recruits to work on the Host Broadcast of the Games.

Charles Sturt University is one of six universities across New South Wales, participating in the SOBO Host Broadcast Training Program (HBTP). As many as 1,300 students in Communication, Sports Management and Engineering, will participate in the HBTP.

Other universities participating in SOBO's Host Broadcast Training Program include: University of Newcastle, Macquarie University, University of New South Wales, University of Technology, Sydney and the University of Western Sydney.

SOBO is a full service broadcast organisation operating as an independent commission of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games with its own charter and Board of Directors.