National

Aussie Teams International Winners At FedEx Trade Challenge!

Congratulations to Michelle Chua and Vanessa King of Victoria and Daniel Barabas and Sarina Baloh of New South Wales who arrived home international winners after outclassing the competition to place 2^nd and 3^rd consecutively at the 2nd Annual FedEx International Trade Challenge in Kuala Lumpur in August. View full story here

2008 Young Achievement Australia National Awards - November 26

The 2008 YAA National Awards will be held on Wednesday 26 November at The Westin, Sydney (No.1 Martin Pl, Sydney). Click here to download registration form. Belinda Yabsley has been secured as guest speaker for the event. The evening will celebrate the outstanding achievements of some of our brightest and most talented Business Skills Program™ participants and will be televised on Network Ten on Sunday 14 December at 12 noon.

Young Achievement Australia National Office has moved

Our office is now located at Level 2, 60 York Street Sydney. Our new phone number is 02 9299 8879 and fax is 02 9299 8893. Please note that our mailing address is still
GPO Box 3800 SYDNEY 2001 and our email addresses remain the same.

YAA graduate wins Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award

In 2007 YAA graduate Scott Farquhar and business partner Mike Cannon-Brookes were awarded the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Scott completed the program in 1996 while he was still at school and with Mike Cannon-Brookes went on to co-found enterprise software company, Atlassian that has a 5,000 strong client list that includes some of world's most well-known organisations, such as NASA, CISCO, Microsoft and the BBC.

James Millar, Ernst & Young CEO said: "Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar epitomise what it means to be entrepreneurial and are both an inspiration to all business people. Aside from creating and growing a customer focused business, they have incorporated elements of social responsibility with a charitable foundation, as well as involving staff across key decisions. Ernst & Young commends Atlassian on being the best of a brilliant bunch."

Roebourne girls create their own modelling agency

Roebourne girls group YAMadFX from 2005 are continuing on with their modelling and dance training and performing at various functions. Two girls have been offered modelling contracts and the whole group have been asked to model at fashion shows in Perth. Future projects include an international tour for the girls to model and shoot an international portfolio. Read more about the girls on the Indigenous Stock Exchange Website.

FedEx Trade Challenge

In August 2007 three groups of YAA secondary school teams represented Australia in the FedEx Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge in Hong Kong. The three teams were: Hillary and Hanna Hu (NSW); Kathleen Du and Annie Chen (VIC); and Dallas Proctor and Victor Chu (NSW).

Selected for their thoroughness, creativity and professionalism in developing business plans, these students had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in world trade and enhance their knowledge of product distribution, promotion and sales at the FedEx Express/Young Achievement Australia/Junior Achievement™ International Trade Challenge held in Hong Kong in August 2007.

Building the skills and capacities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

YAA is partnering with Indigenous Business Australia to offer more places and programs to Indigenous communities.

"Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have achieved success in our Business Skills Programs™ since the programs inception in 1977" explains Pam Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Young Achievement Australia. "Our aim now is to offer more people the chance to develop business and enterprise skills to create wealth and opportunities for the diverse range of communities in which they live."

For more information on this exciting program see our programs page or contact Sara Hamilton our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program Manager on 02 9299 8879 or email sara.hamilton@yaa.org.au.