Charles Sturt University graduate David Ford has won the Great Australian Story Challenge with his short film, A Little Bit of Magic. David graduated this year with a Bachelor of Arts (Television Production), and will now spend three months working with Australian Story at ABC TV. “I have a lot of respect for both the program and the ABC. I feel I have the capacity to make good stories, but it is also knowing how to work within a particular production environment. I don’t know where it will take me or what it will hold but it is looking optimistic.” A Little Bit of Magic tells the story of Cliff Armitage, who had an amazing career change since being involved in the gun control policy formation after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. David says making the film was a challenge “because I was doing the lighting, sound and camera, as well as producing and directing and researching”. Last year David filmed a travelogue documentary about his time spent at an African AIDS orphanage, which airs in July on cable TV in Australia, and later in New Zealand and Indonesia.

Over 100 Bathurst business and community identities have indicated they will attend the first Charles Sturt University (CSU) Business and Community reception to be held on Monday 5 June at 5pm. The function will highlight the integral role CSU has in the community, particularly with the business and education sectors. The reception will build closer links between the Bathurst community and the University and promote an understanding of CSU’s regional and community strategies. The Bathurst reception is the first in a series to be held across all CSU campuses in the coming months.

Staff and employees from Wangerang Industries in Orange will receive training at Charles Sturt University (CSU) today giving them a new range of work skills for the local viticulture industry. CSU Vineyard Manager, Peter Cannon, viticulture lecturer Peter Hedberg and horticulture lecturer John Eiseman have combined their knowledge to instruct employees in the specialist skills of vine pruning, spur pruning, safety and equipment handling and care. Wangerang Industries provide the region’s mentally and physically disabled with a chance to work. Wangerang Industries CEO, Marc Bonney is excited by the prospect of offering his employees skills in horticulture.

An organisation aimed at lifting the profile of women in the Australian construction industry has honoured the work of a Charles Sturt University (CSU) distance education student with a national award. Fiona Shewring, who is studying for a Graduate Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (VET) at CSU, received an award from the National Association for Women in Construction. During the Association’s annual awards night at Sydney’s Town Hall at the end of May, Ms Shewring was presented the Acoustic Logic Consultancy Award. The annual event was attended by women managers, architects, developers and solicitors involved with the construction sector. The CSU student is employed by the Illawarra Institute of TAFE in Wollongong and during the past four years, has taught more than 100 women painting and decorating skills as part of TAFE NSW’s early pathways program known as Outreach. “The award for Fiona is a credit to her vocational training and work in breaking down the barriers within the trades sector for women,” said VET course coordinator Roslin Brennan-Kemmis.

 

Heather Bell has been appointed the Acting Head of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Dubbo Campus. Mrs Bell has just returned from a six month placement at CSU Ontario where she worked as Campus Operations Manager, which was her role for the past five years at the Dubbo Campus. In announcing the appointment, Vice-Chancellor Ian Goulter congratulated Mrs Bell, saying “she will play an active role in strengthening the University’s links with the region and the delivery of service to the community.”  Mrs Bell says these are exciting times for the Dubbo Campus. “The Admin Focus conference saw over 100 CSU staff travel to Dubbo to see first hand the development that has taken place and that the construction is completed at Dubbo, we can cement our place in the CSU community as well as the Dubbo regional community.” She says she was delighted by the appointment. “Absolutely, I think I will now be well placed to encourage prospective students to visit the Campus and consider higher education, particularly those who may have left school a few years ago or those looking for state-of-the-art student accommodation.” Mrs Bell take over the role as Head of Campus from Professor David Battrersby who was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Ballarat University.