An innovative business and employment festival has promised to inspire business owners and job seekers from March 21, shedding light on the region’s future economy and creating new work opportunities for locals.
The inaugural Futureproof festival will bring together nine key events held across the Hunter region from March 21 and 25.
The festival coincides with small business month and is organised by Hunter’s entrepreneurship facilitator, Cheryl Royle, and employment facilitator, Karla Notman.
Royle said the festival would showcase emerging and innovative growth industries and offer attendees insight into how the Hunter region could adapt and change.
She said the action-packed festival covers everything from employment opportunities in the disability sector to tips for setting up a small business.
“The Futureproof Festival will bridge the information deficit gap and provide the region’s industries, businesses, parents and job seekers a chance to see the opportunities in our backyard as we pivot, pioneer and prosper,” Royle said.
Notman said another important outcome of the festival was to highlight skills of the future and pathways to employment.
“With innovation, automation and emerging technology shaping the future of work, the reputation of the Hunter as a hub for future jobs continues to grow,” Notman said.
“Already home to a thriving defence precinct, world-class advanced manufacturing and a flourishing tourism sector, the Hunter continually shows itself to be an adaptable and resilient region.”
A trade fair hosted by the Scone Chamber of Commerce is set to kick the festival off before experts in the energy, health and defence field host a seminar to discuss the region’s future in those industries.
A workshop will be on offer on March 23 for small businesses interested in providing services to people living with disabilities but who do not want to become a registered NDIS provider.
The event organisers boast impressive experience in the business world, with Royle among 23 government-funded entrepreneurship facilitators in the country, and runs the Australian Government funded Hunter Futurepreurship program.
Co-organiser Notman is currently the chair of the Hunter Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce and one of 25 government-funded employment facilitators supporting the delivery of the $62.8 million Local Jobs Program in 51 regions across Australia.
For more information or the event schedule, visit the Futureproof festival website.
Maia O’Connor