December Roundup

A Message From Bella

My time as CEO of the ISS Institute has flown. It has been a huge learning curve, at times almost overwhelming. But, what has become extraordinarily clear to me is that there are so many committed and talented people doing wonderful work in their trades and industry. The amount of exciting innovation happening in and around our community and the strong interest in cross-sector partnerships are very encouraging.

The partnerships and connections that have been established will encourage Australia’s continued social and economical prosperity to continue.

The State Government, our sponsors, and the philanthropists who support the ISS Institute have created opportunities that inspire Australians to achieve well beyond their expectations and to add value to their industry and to our community and for this we are extremely grateful.

In November we warmly welcomed 13 new Fellows to our family. The awards event was indeed splendid and it clearly demonstrated warmth, generosity and the true spirit of the occasion. Past Fellows, our neighbours and CO·AS·IT generously contributed towards the success of the event. The event itself provided yet another forum for our sponsors and Fellows to celebrate the important work of the ISS Institute.

I look forward to 2012 with excitement as we explore new opportunities and broaden our horizons.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my dedicated staff who are the backbone of this organisation and the ISS Institute Board who have provided guidance and support.

Warmly,

Bella Irlicht AM
CEO, ISS Institute

21st Annual Fellowship Awards



The 21st Annual Fellowship Awards was a superb success and it was a highlight to see so many of you there. This year’s awards was part of the City Of Melbourne Knowledge Week. We introduced our 2011 Fellows and reconnected as an ISS Institute community. This year’s awards ceremony was quite unique in that it was truly a community event. Below we highlight our amazing speakers and thank our sponsors, we give our appreciation to our generous neighbours and Fellows who donated delicious treats, and we introduce our new Fellows.
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– The Hon. Peter Hall MLC

Click here to view the media release by the Hon. Peter Hall MLC.

“…We are a unique organisation. There is no other organisation that provides these kinds of Fellowships, it’s a gap that’s there that has not been able to be filled by others…Increasing productivity is what these scholarships and Fellowships are all about. We’ve had a great 21 years but the next 21 years will really rock you!” – Sir James Gobbo AC, CVO




Julie Belle, 2008 Skills Victoria/ISS Institute TAFE Fellow

Julie shared her Fellowship experiences with us and gave our new Fellows some very encouraging words:

“[My] research was undertaken overseas in the USA and the UK at major production studios and highly regarded film and television schools – the BIG players! …Before I went in for an interview or meeting, I felt nervous…But, to my delight, I always left with a feeling of reassurance and the knowledge that we all shared the same problems, the same concerns, and I think most importantly, the same passion about our industry.” – Julie Belle



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Our Wonderful Sponsors

Sincere thanks to our 2011 Fellowship sponsors who have enabled our Fellows to extend themselves to be the best that they can. We received encouraging feedback from many of our sponsors, including John Baker from AgriFood Skills Australia, and Bryan McGoldrick from the William Angliss Institute.

Our thanks go to:

• Ron Cooper-Thomas and Paul Warmington from Skills Victoria
• John Baker from AgriFood Skills Australia
• Jane Sharwood and Andrew Stephenson from the City of Melbourne
• Janet Hirst and Caitriona Fay from The George Alexander Foundation
• Rohan Wright from the Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (Vic/Tas)
• Bryan McGoldrick from the William Angliss Institute
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Our Generous Neighbours and Fellows

Carlton is rich in Italian culture and is particularly noted for its warmth and generosity. We would like to express our sincere appreciation and our gratitude to our neighbours for supporting us at this year’s 21st Annual Fellowship Awards. We would like to thank:

CO·AS·IT for providing the wonderful venue and for making us feel welcome every day. CO·AS·IT was established in 1967 to provide a range of social welfare services in response to the needs of the Italian migrant settlers in Australia. CO.AS.IT’s activities and experience as a welfare agency servicing Italian migrants have made it a leader when it comes to aged care, community development, education and support for the Italian community in Melbourne. To find out more please visit their website.

University Café for supplying the sandwiches and moral support. In the heart of Lygon Street, Carlton, this café is popular with locals and students alike. Nestled in amongst wonderful shops and fantastic eateries, this café is great for those who enjoy their coffee and conversation. With their well-priced coffee and generous meals, the vibe is eclectic and there's always someone to chat to.


Brunetti for providing a selection of delicious biscuits and chocolates. Brunetti Cakes began trading at the Faraday street location in 1985. The Angelé family acquired the business in 1991 and transformed the lovely café that it was into a truly authentic roman Pasticceria. The founder, Mr Giorgio Angelé began his training in Rome at the ripe age of 10. Since then Giorgio has always been involved in the pastry industry and you can still find him at Brunetti baking a delicious selection of European style sweets and desserts. Over the years, Brunetti in Carlton has become one of Melbourne's most iconic places to visit. To find out more please visit their website.

Browns for donating an array of cakes for the event. The bread was where it all began. Bringing traditional French baking methods and recipes to Melbourne has meant that you can enjoy the best daily baked bread in your own home. Using the true artisan style of baking and creating crispy, crunchy baguettes, true sourdoughs, and beautiful rustic loaves. That’s what it’s all about. To find out more please visit their website.

King & Godfree for their delicious cheese. King & Godfree is a long-established deli, fine liquor and wine store in Lygon Street, Carlton. It is well known for its local and imported gourmet produce. King & Godfree is owned by the Valmorbida family. The Valmorbida family’s warmth and generosity exemplify the King & Godfree spirit. From the moment you walk in the door at King & Godfree you feel welcome and valued. We would like to truly thank King & Godfree for their generosity.






Our Fellows have such a generous spirit and we would like to express our gratitude to the three wonderful Fellows who provided us with some delicious examples of their work. We are indeed grateful to these exceptional Fellows:

Kim Chalmers of Chalmers Wines contributed a selection of her company’s wines for the awards evening. Kim is a 2011 AgriFood International Fellowship recipient. Her Fellowship is aimed at improving her knowledge and skills in sustainable viticulture by investigating heat- and drought-tolerant grape varieties in the face of climate change.

Michael Dal Zotto from Dal Zotto wines is a 2007 The George Alexander Foundation/ISS Institute Fellowship recipient. He has revolutionised wine in Australia. Dal Zotto wines’ Pucino Prosecco NV won Best Value Sparkling Wine in The Age & The Sydney Morning Herald Sun Good Wine Guide 2011. Michael kindly donated a variety of delicious wine for our awards night and we all enjoyed sampling the famous Prosecco.

Nick Haddow from the Bruny Island Cheese Co. Nick is a 2006 The Pratt Foundation/ISS Institute Overseas Fellowship recipient. Mentored by Australia’s foremost cheese experts, Richard Thomas and Will Studd, Nick spent time working at Milawa Cheese Co. and Meredith Dairy in Victoria in the early ’90s. He then set up and managed Will Studd’s and Stephanie Alexander’s Richmond Hill Café & Larder. Nick donated some amazing cheese for our awards event and so many people commented on how delicious it was.

2011 Fellows

We would like to introduce our talented 2011 Fellows. They have been chosen for their aptitude, industry knowledge and forward thinking approach and are poised to become leaders of tomorrow. Watch these faces!

2011 AgriFood International Fellowship Recipients


Dr Angus Crossan is the Program Manager – R&D of Australian Egg Corporation Ltd. His study is to take place in the UK, Europe (the Netherlands), Canada and New Zealand. He will evaluate the international models used for delivery of training in leading egg industries, with specific attention to flexible models, new technologies and processes in order to overcome the challenges in Australian egg production systems.


Kim Chalmers is the Director of Chalmers Wines Australia Pty Ltd. Her study is to take place in Europe. Kim will improve knowledge and skills in sustainable viticulture by investigating heat- and drought-tolerant grape varieties and viticultural techniques for adaptation in Australia in the face of climate change. You can follow Kim’s journey on Twitter: “[I’m] excited to be heading to southern Italy next year on a research mission as an ISS Institute AgriFood International Fellow.” – Kim Chalmers



Jodie Hummerston is the Project Officer at the National Meat Industry Training Advisory Council Ltd (MINTRAC). Her study is to take place in the UK and Germany. Jodie will gain an understanding of current and future international training practices in the meat retail industry, including workplace training, e-learning, and post-trade training to develop the Australian meat industry.


2011 Furnishing Industry Association of Australia (Vic/Tas) International Fellowship Recipient


Mary Cushnahan is a Teacher at Kangan Institute. Her study is to take place in Canada and Europe. Mary will investigate international apprenticeship training techniques in the non-licenced trades covered by the Furnishings Training Package to improve attraction and retention rates, and to combat LLN and skills set difficulties across the Australian furnishing industry.


2011 The George Alexander Foundation International Fellowship Recipient


Christopher Bourne is an Engineer with Foodstream Pty Ltd. His study is to take place in Canada and the USA. Christopher will study world’s best practice techniques and regulations for thermal processing and gain knowledge in the modelling methods used to predict food deterioration characteristics, in order to guarantee food safety while maximising quality for longer shelf life of food products.


2011 Skills Victoria Overseas Fellowship Recipients


Sheila Douglas is the VET Manager at Employ-ease Pty Ltd. Her study is to take place in New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Sheila will identify international best practice in successful delivery of aged care training by small education providers for application in rural and indigenous communities in Australia to increase completion of VET courses within these communities.



Rick Dunn is a Teacher – Bakery at South West Institute of TAFE. His study is to take place in Germany. Rick will undertake a master skill bakery course to build capability and skills in the baking industry to improve delivery of the newly accredited Certificate IV in Advanced Baking in Australia.




Michael Hatton is a Horticulture Teacher at Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE. His study is to take place in the UK, Japan, Canada and the USA. Michael will evaluate international community education standards to ensure engagement in ‘grow your own’ food and the development of activities and programs that improve the health and sense of community wellbeing through community gardens.



Susan Morris is a Teacher/Architect at Box Hill Institute. Her study is to take place in Europe. Susan will investigate European sustainability regulations to inform future developments in Australian sustainability and thermal performance regulatory reform and to investigate successful collaborative learning opportunities for students in the building industry trades.



Mark Thomson is a Teacher – Furniture Studies at Victoria University TAFE. His study is to take place in Europe and the UK. Mark will investigate international standards for water-based finishing applications, viability of alternative products, elimination of toxic chemicals, and the different training techniques relevant to the Australian furniture finishing industry.



Roslyn Walker is a Teacher/Film Producer at Open Channel. Her study is to take place in the USA. Roslyn will develop knowledge and cultural exchange regarding current international best practice in developing quality TV series and animation feature films for input into teaching units and courses in Australia.



2011 William Angliss Institute/ISS Institute Fellowship Recipient


Brendan Carter is a Teacher – Baking at William Angliss Institute of TAFE. His study is to take place in Germany. He will attend an intensive six-week training course covering the entire scope of German bread making – this course is the German Bäckermeister (Master Artisan Baker), the highest qualification for selected bakery owners.

Professor Kent Larson

Professor Kent Larson is the recipient of the 2011 City of Melbourne Boston Sister Cities International Fellowship. He is the Director of the Changing Places Research Group, MIT Media Lab, USA, and was awarded this Fellowship in memory of colleague Willam J Mitchell. William (Bill) Mitchell, head of the Media Lab’s Smart Cities research group and former dean of MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning, was considered for this Fellowship but unfortunately passed away after a long battle with cancer before the Fellowship could be awarded. Professor Kent Larson took up the Fellowship in memory of his colleague and close friend:

“Bill was an inspirational thinker and prolific writer who touched the lives of many while challenging conventional concepts about sustainable cities, urban transportation, and design. During his 18 years at MIT, he left a lasting impact, not only on the MIT campus, but throughout the world.” – MIT Media Lab’s memorial page

Professor Larson visited Australia in July, highlighting the MIT ‘Living Lab’ concept and the architectural and environmental influences on future building and living design through guest speaking roles, seminars, lectures and workshops. All of his speaking engagements were outstanding and extremely popular. We partnered with The University of Melbourne to facilitate this educational program of events.

Our New Home

In February this year we moved to our new home in Carlton and we’re loving it! We have some wonderful neighbours here in Carlton that we have mentioned above and they have all been very welcoming.

Fashion Nation: Creating a Skilled Design Industry

In March this year we partnered with Craft Victoria as part of the Cultural Program for the 2011 L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival to present this wonderful event. Fashion Nation: Creating a Skilled Design Industry was a session for fashion and accessory designers on gaining skills and experience via international Fellowships.

Speakers included 2010 Fellow and Melbourne fashion designer Patricia Chircop, who discussed her upcoming research on single-piece woollen garment making with industrial knitting machines in Japan and Europe. Several past Fellows, including bespoke shoemaker April Phillips and clothing designer Kate Kennedy, also shared their individual experiences and reflected on how they have contributed to Australian fashion design knowledge.

Social Media Workshop

In June and August we hosted our Zero to Hero: Social Media for your Business series of workshops and lectures and they were a huge success. We partnered with our friends at Craft Victoria and the wonderful Shelli Whitehurst from Code Name Max to make the world of social media accessible. Shelli was engaging and approachable and gave the attendees easy tips for increasing their presence in the social media arena.

ISS Institute Christmas Break

The ISS Institute office will be closed from 26 December 2011 and will re-open on 3 January 2012. The Board and Management of the ISS Institute wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.